Brilliance, A Legend of Mana Story
by Teepeelio
Summary: Not everything beautiful is good . . . The Deathbringer returns, the hero is captured by the Hokuten, and Pearl must decide between herself or Blackpearl...
1. Good Morning!

Note: This is a sequel, not a retelling.

~A quick character guide~ The Guy: Riven The Girl: Elleira

Brilliance A Legend of Mana Story

One ~Good Morning!~

Bud and Lisa stood in front of the class, both visibly shivering. Riven was smiling at them, trying to calm their fears, but Elleira kept her eyes on the teachers. Each of the teachers was studying the siblings, and none of them had anything resembling sympathy on their faces. Elleira looked over at Riven, who leaned in close, still smiling.

"They'll be fine," Riven said quietly.

"How do you know?" she asked, scanning the row of teachers again. "It doesn't look very good."

"Because I got the principal some stuff from the Underworld as a bribe. No way he'll refuse. You know he can't resist those old artifacts and stuff."

She looked up at the kids again. "I hope so . . ."

*************

As it turned out, the teachers did vote for the two children to be enrolled again, despite their past mishaps. But now . . . Riven hated to admit it, but he missed them. It was comforting having them around, especially when Elleira was out wherever, and when she did come by, it was only to use the forge.

After the defeat of the Mana Goddess, he spent a lot of time in the garden with Trent, or the pasture with his Rabites and Chocobos. It was getting desperately lonely, and even worse since there were no adventures to distract himself with. His heart was heavy, and while he missed the kids and Elleira, he missed Pearl even more. He shook that thought away quickly.

Blackpearl had made it quite evident that she couldn't spend enough time AWAY from him.

He rolled out of bed, snagging his hat off of Lil' Cactus's head and putting it on in one fluid motion. He glanced at himself in the mirror, scratching his chin. "I could use a shave . . ." Walking back to his bed, he kicked over the mattress and pulled out an elaborately designed black scabbard. The sacred sword Kiijin, granted to him by his mentor and trainer.

He pulled the sword and started shaving, trying not to think about what his master or Elleira would think if they could see him. When he was finished, he glanced at Lil' Cactus, who was still sleeping. Riven smiled, and started down the stairs. With a yawn, he walked through the house and to the front door, thinking of going to Domina for breakfast. Or, judging by the position of the sun, lunch.

Riven stopped abruptly on his stairs as a black chocobo slammed into his mail box, snapping it in two. The monster fell to the ground, whimpering. The warrior looked up, stunned to see Elleira fighting a monster in his front yard. And not just any monster - Deathbringer!

With a snarl, he pulled Kiijin and leapt at Deathbringer, who roared, slapping him out of the air. He landed hard in the pasture, and a Rabite came up and sniffed him. Wiping blood from his lip, he stood again, only to get knocked down as Elleira came crashing into him. She shook her head as she got up, dazed.

With a grin, she got off of him. "Hiya Riven! Just came by to see you . . ."

"Yeah, I noticed. What's going on?"

She hefted her heavy two-handed sword, Kiishin. "Bad stuff. He followed me here, trying to stop me. I need your help."

Riven nodded, and they both charged, weaving back and forth across each others paths, and Deathbringer couldn't follow them both. Riven plunged his sword into Deathbringer's foot, dragging it through as he ran. Elleira jumped, slashing at the monster's knee. Deathbringer fell, dropping his massive axe and catching himself with both hands. Riven and Elleira both leapt, running up his arms in perfect unison, and stabbing at his eyes simultaneously.

Deathbringer reared back, throwing them both to the ground. Light exploded from his innards, and he started breaking apart. His screams were deafening, and Riven guessed they could probably hear the noise in Gato. The monster knight finally shattered, shards of light falling to the ground in a shower. Riven wiped off Kiijin, slamming it into the scabbard. "What the hell was that about?" he demanded, turning to Elleira.

She wasn't there. He blinked, looking around confusedly before seeing her on his steps, holding the head of the Chocobo. "Sephiroth, are you all right? Did he hurt you? Poor baby."

Riven slapped his head, and stalked into his house, turning around a chair and sitting on it backwards. He chewed his nails, thinking. Deathbringer in his front yard, fighting Elleira. It was an impossible set of coincidences. He sighed. Riven considered going back to bed, shaking his head ruefully. The ONE DAY Lil' Cactus didn't wish him good morning . . .


	2. A Strange Sort of Person

Brilliance A Legend of Mana Story

Two ~A Strange Sort of Person~

Elleira watched Riven eating for as long as she could stand before jumping to her feet, gesturing frantically. "Come on! Deathbringer?! Irwin missing from the Underworld?! Lucemia spotted in the skies?! You HAVE to be interested!"

Riven continued dabbing at his egg yoke with his toast, motioning at Rachel (or was it the blue wiggly? Green jiggly? Hazel Wobbly?) for more juice. Elleira dropped her arms, disbelieving. He wiped at his mouth with the corner of his handkerchief before looking up at her.

"Have you found Sandra?" he asked.

Elleira flushed, looking down at the ground and shifting her feet. "Well . . ."

"If you think somehow all our enemies are being resurrected, we should warn the Jumi."

Elleira flushed even deeper, and Riven's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"About that . . . The Jumi have locked off their city."

"WHAT?!"

"They closed the gates for some reason, and now no one can get in." She frowned. "I haven't had word from them for weeks."

Riven turned back to his meal, and frowned, pushing it away. (Pearl . . .) he thought. He stood, adjusting Kiijin's scabbard at his hip. "Well, let's go."

"Where? The Underworld?" she shook her head. "I've already checked. Olbohn's having a fit trying to figure out what happened, and the Shadoles are in a panic too."

"We're going to the Bejeweled City," Riven said, starting for the door.

"What? But they're locked off! We can't get in!"

"Then we'll bust in. Something tells me the Jumi know more then we do about what's going down, and I intend to find out what."

He paused in the doorway, blocking Elleira's path. She frowned, opening her mouth to complain.

"Elleira, when was the last time you saw a Sproutling?" he asked, his voice oddly strained.

"Just before fighting the Mana Goddess. They all went to the Mana Tree, and I haven't seen any since."

Riven stepped to one side, revealing a tiny Sproutling.

It grinned up at her. "We don't have souls, you know."

"B-but that's not . . . possible . . ." she said.

"I know," he said.

The both left quickly, hands on their weapons. "Do you think the Mana Goddess is back?" Elleira asked.

"She left?"

"No, I meant incarnated evil again."

"I don't know. I hope not."

They made their way quickly to the Highway, as they could quickly take it most of the way to the Bejeweled City. They had only made it halfway down the road when they started seeing bodies.

"What is this?" Riven growled.

Elleira shook her head. "Mercenaries."

"What? For who?"

"They're attacking the Jumi city," a voice said nearby. Riven and Elleira skidded to a halt, drawing their swords. Escad held up a hand. Elleira took a step back, sheathing her sword. Riven did so as well, but slower. The last time he'd seen Escad, Elleira had fought him while trying to rescue Matilda from Irwin. Escad had lost his sword arm in that battle, but Riven knew he was still deadly.

The warrior looked over the two cautiously. "How do I know you aren't going to attack them as well?"

Riven scowled. "Think we saved them from extinction to kill them?"

"You fight for Demons!" Escad snarled. 

"That old hat?" Riven turned away. "You never learn."

"Don't turn your back on me, warrior," Escad said, his voice cold. "I don't trust you," Escad finished, as if it needed to be said.

"The feeling is more then mutual, Escad," Elleira said, shifting her stance. Escad looked at her and winced, probably remembering the exact moment she took his arm.

Escad scowled, turned his head a spit at the ground. "Fine. As you probably know, the Jumi have closed off their city."

Elleira nodded, but Riven just kept watching Escad. The one-armed knight continued, "For some reason, mercenaries have begun attacking the city in force, trying to take as many cores as possible. From what I've heard, they haven't gotten any yet, but if the city remains under siege, the Jumi will have to leave for food soon."

Riven scowled, looking ahead at the road. (Damn . . .) Elleira shifted about nervously, and Riven wondered what she was thinking.

"I don't know of any way into the city," Escad said. "It's completely surrounded by mercenaries, lead by a group calling themselves the Nanten."

"Nanten? What the hell are those?" Riven asked.

Escad shrugged. "There are only seven, but they are rumored to be exceptionally powerful. They defeated every Knight the Jumi threw at them. Duelle had gathered the Onion Knights, but what remains of them are trapped in the city as well."

Riven tightened his grip in his hilt. "No choice then, I suppose. We have to come up with a plan."

Elleira cleared her throat. "I have an idea . . ." Escad and Riven both snapped their heads towards her.

"I can ride my Sephiroth into the city. Black Chocobos can fly."

Escad shivered, and Riven looked at him. "What?"

Escad shook his head. "That name gives me the creeps."

Riven smiled. "It should, considering it belonged to the baddest bad ass of all time."

Elleira blinked innocently. "What are you talking about? I picked that name from a baby names book."

Riven brushed away the big anime sweat drop that fell from his forehead. "Anyway, your plan needs some modification. You can fly in, but I'm going to attack those mercenaries and cause a distraction."

Escad frowned. "By yourself? Are you mad?"

"I'm no pushover," Riven said. "Escad, I'd like you to go with Elleira."

Both of the jumped backwards. "WHAT?!"

"She'll need a good sword at her side if she gets into trouble, and the Jumi could probably use another blade. I'm going to call in a favor or two and I'll meet you guys at the end of the road in an hour. How's that sound?"

Escad and Elleira peered uneasily at each other, and Riven nodded. "Good. Too late to back out now!" and then he started sprinting off towards Domina. Escad and Elleira watched him go, before looking at each other apprehensively again.

"I suppose . . ." she said slowly.

" . . . We should get going . . ." Escad said just as slowly. They both started down the highway at opposite sides of the road, watching each other constantly.

*************

Riven gasped, leaning against a tombstone, panting for breath. He sank to a sitting position, too tired to even move. Someone chuckled behind him, and moved to stand at his side. "Need some help? You look like you've had a hard run."

"Larc . . . got trouble . . ." Riven wheezed. "Gimme a . . . hand . . . will ya?"

The wolf knight pulled him to his feet, shaking his head. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Ran from the . . . Luon Highway," Riven said, finally catching his breath.

"You ran here? That's a really long way away. Almost three days journey!"

"The rules are less strict for heroes," Riven said. "Besides . . . I don't have that much time."

Larc straightened. "What's going on?"

"Some mercenaries have got the Jumi under siege, and I'm gonna bust 'em out."

"Oh? And I suppose you want my help?" Larc asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Nanten?" Riven asked.

Larc growled deep in his throat. "Perhaps."

"They're leading the whole thing. I figure if we take them down, we'll have a good shot at breaking the siege."

Larc frowned. "The Nanten Seven . . . I don't like our odds."

Riven shrugged. "Call Sierra. I've gotta get home fast, and pull out my secret weapon. You two meet me at the end of Luon Highway, all right?"

Larc nodded slowly, but Riven hadn't waited for it. He was already running. Larc bared his teeth in a snarl. "You can come out now."

Sierra came out of the dark, leaning against the tombstone Riven had leaned against moments before. "The Nanten, Larc? You're going to fight them? Seriously?"

"I don't suppose your great lord Dragon would concede to help us?" he asked. Sierra said nothing, and Larc laughed. "I thought not."

*************

Riven crawled onto his property, his breathing a faint rasp. With effort, he pulled himself over the fence to land in his pasture. He coughed, trying to get his breath back. Laying on his back with his eyes closed, he didn't see the creature emerge from his stable, wicked bone sword gleaming.

The large skeleton stalked towards him, its evil death's head grinning.


	3. A Sound Like Nothing

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story  
Three -A Sound Like Nothing-

Elleira scowled, staring out over the field, watching the army of mercenaries as they went about whatever they were doing down there. It hurt her to think of her friends, trapped inside the Bejeweled City after so much had been done to save them. But of course, human couldn't be expected to change their ways. People were just as greedy for Jumi cores as they were decades ago. If no one acted, the Jumi would be hunted into extinction again.

She held Kiishin's hilt in a white-knuckle grip, grinding her teeth, barely managing to restrain her fury. She had not been the one to strike the final blow against the Mana Goddess, but she had been present. Riven had slain a goddess, forever marking himself in the annals of history. Elleira had fought long and hard, competing with him the entire way, and she had defeated just as many foes as he had.

She had stopped Irwin from destroying the world with Lucemia. She was the one who plunged into the Underworld to fight Drakonis. Where had Riven been during that? Running around with the rabbit guy. What was his name? Niccolo.

Elleira glanced over at Escad, who was practicing blade forms, and felt another twinge of jealousy. They had fought each other over the fate of Irwin and Matilda's love, and she had defeated him, severing his arm in the process. No one had thought he might survive. As he worked, twisting and moving along with his blade, she could only wonder at how much better he had gotten. The fury was gone from his style, replaced with an unbreakable coolness of character. His hatred of Irwin still burned deep, but he no longer let it consume him. He had changed, after all.

And Elleira was no longer certain she could beat him. Kiishin was a sacred sword, given to her by her mentor the day he had finished training her and Riven. It was the only thing holding her to her past, the only thing she had kept at her side constantly since that day. Ever since Saiga - their teacher - left, she found it impossible to live in a house, to sit still for longer then a few days. She wandered, training, fighting, and doing odd jobs for money or for the hell of it.

Riven sat at home, tending his garden and Rabites, and he was still as strong as she was. And Escad . . . all of her rivals were so strong now, and she felt so weak by comparison. She hated feeling like she had something to prove, but she did.

"You still love me, don't you Sephiroth?" she asked, stroking the black Chocobo's neck. It was only more infuriating that Riven didn't seem to notice she was competing with him, and Escad had never felt like a true rival. If only . . .

Something exploded nearby, showering her with rock. She hit the ground, and barely had time to blink before something else exploded. She slapped at her sleeve which had caught fire, and rolled into a crouch, trying to see where the attack was coming from, and when she did, she swore loudly.

"What was that?" Escad said, coming up beside her. "What's going on?"

"The mercenaries saw us. I don't know how." She looked around, and scowled. "We don't have time to wait for him."

"If you say so." Escad leapt up, slashing through a large flaming boulder that had been launched at them. "Then let's go quickly."

"Sephiroth!" Elleira shouted, jumping onto the chocobo's back. "To the Bejeweled City! And grab Escad!"

The black chocobo 'warked', and seized the back of Escad's cloak as they took off. It twisted as they flew, avoiding fire from everything the catapults launched at them. Elleira dug her boots into its side, urging it to go faster, and it complied eagerly. It had been a long time since she'd been in a massive aerial battle, and even though she knew she didn't have time, she wanted to enjoy it. Sephiroth was always willing to show off, and he did so now, adding flourish to every dodge and dive, avoiding every arrow and spear thrown at them.

Suddenly, Elleira became aware of a loud humming sound, swelling in her ears over the sound of rushing wind. She looked around, trying to find its source, until the hum turned into a shriek, and she clapped her hands over her ears in agony. Sephiroth became swerving, shaking its head violently, trying to escape the noise.

"UP!" Elleira screamed. "GO UP!"

Sephiroth complied, flying straight up, and the sound seemed to lessen. Sighing with relief, Elleira let her hands drop. "What the hell was that?" she asked, stroking Sephiroth's neck. She felt something trickling down the side of her face, and brushed it, stunned to realize it was blood. Her ears were bleeding. She quickly checked Sephiroth, sighing in relief when she found his were not.

"Ack! Escad!" Elleira twisted, trying to peer past Sephiroth's flapping wings. "Escad?!"

"Did we lose him?" she asked Sephiroth, just before her words were drowned out by the shrieking sound again, a hundred times louder then before. She screamed with it, shaking her head, her hands tightly pressed to her ears. She was starting to black out, but Sephiroth beat her to it.

The black chocobo shuddered violently, and fell from the sky. Elleira fell from his back, and her vision left her as she fell unconscious.

* * *

Riven rolled over his fence into the pasture, landing on his back, gasping for air. (I'm out of shape,) he told himself wryly. (Some kind of hero I am.) As he lay on the ground, collecting his thoughts, various animals wandered over, nudging him, trying to discover what was wrong with him. Suddenly, they froze, and scattered. Riven frowned, starting to sit up, when a black sword made of bone stuck itself in his face. 

He gaped at the Skeleton Knight for a split second before it was on him. It jumped on his chest, beating him in the head with the blunt bone, and he yelped, trying to throw it off.

"Damn it Vincent, this is no time to spar! Lay off!" The monster ignored him, continuing to smite his head with its blows. Finally Riven threw it off, rolling into a crouch and rubbing his head. "OW! Damn, why did I save you from the Bone Dragon? Goddess!"

Vincent turned away, and probably would have sniffed disdainfully if it had had any lungs. Riven shook his head, getting to his feet. "Its time. We've got to fight a war."

The Skeleton Knight tilted its head to one side, considering. Then it nodded, gripping its bone sword tightly. Riven patted it on the head, and leapt over the fence.

* * *

"Dammit!" Elazul snarled. "That WAS Elleira, wasn't it? Damn these stupid things!" he shouted, throwing the binoculars to the floor. Emeralda yelped and went quickly to check it over. Blackpearl scowled at Elazul. 

"We're all concerned, Elazul, but that is no reason to go smashing Emeralda's invention." She offered half a smile to the woman sympathetically. "He gets worked up sometimes. We wouldn't have even seen Elleira if it wasn't for your invention."

Emeralda blushed, shaking her head. "I can try and figure out a way for it to see farther, but if I could get my hands on a telescope again . . ."

"I don't think the Pirates are coming back while this is going on," Duelle said, entering through the doorway. "And we are seriously undermanned. We could use some more Knights."

"Elazul almost died in the last exchange," Blackpearl said softly. "Their arrows can somehow seek out our cores. And I might change into Pearl in the middle of a battle," she said in disgust.

"Pearl isn't so bad," Elazul said defensively.

"She's weak, and right now, we can't afford weakness!" she snarled.

"I'm worried for Florina," Duelle said. "I heard her mention that she might not be able to keep crying."

"They're draining us. Fatigue and starvation are wearing down morale. Pretty soon Duelle, you'll look good enough to eat." Blackpearl said.

"Ahem, yes, well, I sure hope that help comes soon. But I don't think that Elleira will be with it."

"JUMI! ARE YOU NOT TIRED OF SEEING YOUR FELLOW WARRIORS FALL?!" a voice boomed, drowning out Elazul's response to Duelle. "GIVE US THE FLOURITE, AND WE MAY CONSIDER LETTING ALL THE NON-JUMI GO FREE!"

There was silence in the Bejeweled City as everyone listened to the mysterious voice calling out to them. Blackpearl motioned for everyone to prepare the cotton or bits of cloths they had handy to stuff in their ears in case they played that terrible sound again.

"IF THAT IS HOW IT IS TO BE! THEN YOU CAN ALL WATCH AS THIS HERO DIES FOR YOUR COWARDICE!"

Blackpearl rushed to the edge of the wall, staring down. Sure enough, the soldiers had built a mini-gallows, and were already preparing Elleira for hanging.

" . . . oh goddess . . ." she whispered.

"What? What is it?" Elazul hobbled over on his makeshift cane with help from Emeralda. "What's happen . . ."

He trailed off, watching as the soldiers held the young hero up long enough to get the noose over her head. Then in a moment that nearly stopped his heart, they dropped her, laughing as her unconscious form struck the ground because the rope had not been secured tightly enough. They reset the rope, and the voice boomed out one last time.

"SURRENDER YOUR CITY, JUMI, OR WATCH YOUR HERO DIE!!!"

Elazul put a hand on Emeralda's shoulder as she lowered her head and began too cry. Blackpearl and Duelle forced themselves to watch, as warriors do, to honor their friend's sacrifice.

They dropped the girl again, and in the same moment the stage was blasted apart by a giant shard of ivory. Elleira flew through the air, until the massive Bone Dragon caught her in its talons. It landed on the ground, sliding, crushing hundreds of men. They all screamed, firing arrows, throwing spears, all of which bounced harmlessly off of it.

The Bone Dragon lifted its head, and roared, spreading its skeletal wings. It was the very incarnation of death, and no one in the Bejeweled City knew whether to cheer or shriek in fear. There was utter silence as the Deathbringer appeared beside its master, and together they stared down the army. Utter silence, as a massive green snake descended from the clouds, revealing itself, dwarfing the army, the city, and even the dragon in size.

"Lucemia . . ." someone whispered, though Blackpearl didn't know who.

The Bone Dragon raised up, baring its fangs, and roaring its defiance. And Lucemia began to sing. Blackpearl forced her numb hands to react, putting the bits of cloth in her ears. She did not get the chance to see if anyone else had before the jeweled stone beneath her feet began to resonate with the sound of Lucemia's song, and the city began to crack and break.

* * *

"Our brother is calling us," the Sky Dragon said. 

The White Dragon tilted its head listening. "Lucemia has already begun its song." It shook its head sadly. "Our strength is weak. It shames me to admit, we need you with us. Are you not going to fight?"

There was a sound from the dark, a chuckle perhaps, or possibly a snarl. "Oh yes. I'll be fighting. Only fitting that the dead should retake the skies from the dead."


	4. In A State of Undeath

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Four ~In A State of Undeath~

Riven reached the hilltop, leaning heavily on Vincent. With Kiijin held tightly in one hand, he drove its point into the ground and sat down. Vincent stalked right to the edge of the ledge, growling at the mass of soldiers.

There was a flash as Sierra suddenly appeared next to him, follow quickly by Larc. She dropped to one knee beside Riven. "How does it look?"

"Bad. Real bad," he said.

"What is that?" Larc asked, gesturing at Vincent.

The Skeleton Knight turned, regarding him coldly, before returning its gaze to the army.

"Remember the egg we picked up when we went to kill the Bone Dragon?" Riven asked. "That's what came out."

"Is it strong?" Larc asked.

"It is my secret weapon. Little guy fights constantly. He's always training. Sometimes I think he could be stronger then me."

"Hmph. We'll see."

Sierra's ears suddenly perked up, and she got to her feet. "We've been spotted."

Hundreds of soldiers suddenly charged over the hill, silent except for the clashing of their armor as they ran. Riven watched them as they charged, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "You want them, or should I?" he asked.

Larc shrugged indifferently. Vincent made another growling noise, louder this time. Frowning, Riven got to his feet and looked in the direction the little guy was facing. "Damn!" he snarled.

*************

Deathbringer raised his hand, and suddenly his knights began ripping themselves from the ground. Skeletal figures, most barely held together by disintegrating muscle if they had any at all. The pulled themselves from the earth, a silent undead army.

The Bone Dragon hissed in approval, as the Nanten's army recoiled in fear. Deathbringer himself laughed triumphantly, as his undead soldiers now matched the size of the Nanten's.

There was a few moments, when it looked like the tide of battle would change. The the first soldier attacked. His thrown spear burst through the Bone Dragon's side, and it's approving rumbles quickly turned to a hiss of pain. Deathbringer laughed, and pointed at the Bone Dragon. Everyone on both sides watched in fear and astonishment as the undead horde fell on the Bone Dragon. Some threw chains, pinning its skeletal wings, dragging it down to the ground. Others threw spears, or fired arrows, and still others attacked with axes and swords, crawling up its side to strike at its head.

The Bone Dragon reared back, scattering the soldiers with every sweep of its claws. But the kept returning, throwing their broken bodies at it, continuing to attack no matter the cost. All the while the Deathbringer laughed, watching his former master being brought down.

Even Lucemia was silent as the battle raged, its song forgotten for the moment.

*************

"What . . . what's happening?" Elleira mumbled as she came to. She rolled over, trying to regain her senses. Just in time, she saw the soldier charging her, spear in hand. She spun on her back, sweeping her legs and kicking it to the side. Her hands were tied behind her, so there wasn't much she could do, but she was determined not to let a punk soldier kill her.

The man growled, raising his spear again, and was about to drive it down when a sword blossomed from the front of his chest. She stared in astonishment as the man went down, and Escad pulled his sword from the twitching body, wiping it on the soldier's cloak.

"Escad!" she exclaimed. "Goddess, I never thought I'd be glad to see you!" she said. He said nothing, slashing her ropes, and tossing her sword on the ground in front of her. With a grin, she pulled Kiishin close to her, hugging it. Escad's next swipe cut the air immediately next to her head, slicing the tip off one of her decorative sticks. With a gasp, she fell backwards, pulling Kiishin from its scabbard hastily. "What in the name of Olbohn are you thinking?!" she snarled, glaring at him. When her eyes reached his face, however, she paled.

Escad's eyes were gone. He leveled his sword at her, and made a "Come on" gesture with its tip.

Scowling, she got to her feet, clenching Kiishin tightly. "So, I don't even get to fight you. I get to fight some dead version of you. Hmph. No way a soulless creature like you can kill me!" she snarled, leaping forward.

Her sword met his in a clash of sparks, blow after blow being deflected. She knew his sword was too fast for her to break through, and if it were the real Escad, she would have known she had a chance. He had always been too impatient with defending, and so took an offensive approach. But this new, undead Escad . . .

"I'll put you to rest Escad, don't worry!" she swore, and then his blade it into her arm, and she jumped back. The gash was deep. Really deep. She looked from it to the pseudo-Escad, paling. (He's too good,) she thought, for the first time, feeling some real fear. (I'm going to die.)

Escad removed his cloak, dropping it to the ground, and raised his blade again. Elleira almost backed away, but her pride held fast. "Okay Escad, you want to see why I'm the Mana Hero?" she asked. "I will kill you, or bring you down with me!"


	5. The Nanten

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Five ~The Nanten~

"I wanted the Dragon, not Deathbringer!" Vandal swore, stalking back and forth inside his tent. The twins ignored him, continuing to brush each other's hair, pale fingers running through the long locks. One had red hair, the other bright-blue. Both of their eyes were silver, with only the vaguest outlines of pupils could be seen.

Vandal himself wore tanned leather, all gray, with the edges rimmed in black fur. He had gloves studded with metal knuckles, and two short spears hanging from his belt. "Why the hell can't Kana obey orders?! If we had the dragon under our thumb, the Jumi City would be ours!"

"I follow one man . . . and that is not you."

Vandal turned, scowling towards the tent flap, as Kana entered. A veil of mourning was draped over her head, hiding a few of the precious stones bound in her hair. Her black dress was sheer enough that it covered very little. Still, she exuded sensuality, her every movement seemingly sexual, a breathy promise whispered in your ear.

"Who do you serve, Kana?" Vandal smirked, shaking his head. "You fawned over him so much, it doesn't surprise me he never came back."

Kana's smile froze, and Vandal grinned, knowing he'd hit his mark. "Aww, but he promised he'd come back. He swore it." Vandal stepped closer, putting an arm around her back. All she had time to do was put her arms up between them, succeeding only in putting her hands against his chest.

"He's dead, Kana. And besides, he couldn't bring himself to love you. There was room for no one else after his _wife_." Vandal leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers lightly. "I could love you . . . if you'd let me." 

"A man was here," Kana said coldly. "In the camp."

Vandal sighed, letting her go. She scowled at him, readjusting her dress. "Oh? You don't say?" the warrior asked. "As opposed to the thousands of men that are here now, and have been for weeks?"

"He said he was looking for someone."

"Well, we all lose loved ones in time of war." Vandal laughed harshly. "You killed him, I hope?"

Kana smiled. "He put down Ganz with a single blow."

Vandal's smile slipped abruptly. "That is not possible."

"And yet I saw it with my own eyes," Kana said, stepping around him to where the twins were sitting, running her own fingers through the red-head's hair. "Still keeping the girl's in your tent?"

"Yes, yes, I'm taking good care of them. But I'd really prefer more stimulating company. Those two just lie there."

"Of course they do . . ." Kana smiled, walking around them, running her fingers over their shoulders and arms lightly. "They don't like men. Its why they are here."

"You're telling me, the great and mighty Godhand brought in two girls because they're dykes?" Vandal snorted.

Kana opened her mouth, but stopped when the tent flap slid open a second time. Vandal's eyes widened, and he fell back a step.

"No, Vandal. I brought them into the Nanten because of what they can become." The man grinned, and tossed his long white hair with one gloved hand. "Agony and Ecstasy are quite possibly the strongest among us, so long as they are together."

"Godhand . . . you're dead!" Vandal snarled.

"Hardly." Kana spat. "The Goddess herself couldn't kill him. Our dreams of a revived Mana Fortress will be fulfilled . . ."

The newcomer reached out, brushing his hand against Agony's cheek, and she pressed her face against it. He hissed through his teeth, pulling back when the material of his glove completely burned away. "Why haven't the Jumi fallen, Vandal? The Nanten are descended from a group of knights centuries older then this world. Why can't they beat those pieces of sod?"

Vandal swallowed, pointing at Kana briefly before dropping his hand. "She-she snared the Deathbringer, instead of his master. The Jumi's gates would've fallen if she had taken the Dragon!"

Godhand waved dismissively. "I can't believe the others let you take charge. You're incompetent, Vandal. I'd very much like to see you control a dragon with your sheer force of will." He lifted the tent flap, staring out at the city, where even now the battle was starting to rage again. "You have mercenaries taking a week to do what we could have done in a day. You have Ganz, one of our best, unconscious, because of a mysterious warrior that just happened to stroll into our camp. You have Kana raising our dead constantly, day and night, because you didn't think to simply knock on their door."

"Knock on their . . . what the hell are you talking about?" Vandal asked.

Godhand grinned, and gestured, exiting the tent. Kana grinned at Vandal smugly as she followed in her master's footsteps. Agony and Ecstasy remained where they were, brushing each other's hair.

Vandal raised his hand towards the retreating back of Godhand, pointing a finger at it as though he were holding a weapon. "Someday . . . someday you will die, and when that time comes . . . I'll make certain you won't be coming back."

*************

Elleira swore as the slash caught her cheek, blood flying upwards immediately. She backed off, panting for breath. Escad wouldn't let up, his eyeless face always turned towards her, eerily able to see and predict her every movement.

"You're too damn fast!" she swore, kicking dirt at him. "How am I supposed to beat you?!" He answered by lunging in, sweeping his blade upwards again, cutting into her hand as she went to block, sending her sword flying. It landed in one of the many piles of bodies, the point burying itself in cold flesh.

Elleria raised her fists, aware of how silly the gesture was. Only Riven practiced fighting bare-handed . . . she didn't know a single respectable move. Escad's lips twinged, almost smiling, and he started towards her, sword held at his side.

The ground shook, and the monster lost his balance, and Elleira reached behind her, grabbing one of her instruments. "DARK HARP!" she cried, strumming it once. The black energy flowed over him, pinning him down. When it dissipated, he growled, standing up menacingly. She swore, throwing the instrument at him. He slashed it in half, the two parts falling to the ground harmlessly.

Elleira briefly considered throwing her hair sticks at him, but thought she might as well die with a dignified hairdo. Something flashed in front of her, and suddenly Sierra was there, knives held ready.

"Stay back!" she cried, her knives crossed to block the downward cut of Escad's sword. "He's not what you think he is!"

"Just where in the Underworld did you come from?!" Elleira gasped.

"Shut up and find a weapon!" Sierra snarled, dancing away from a succession of slashes. Escad's face was a picture of fury now, no longer the cool, empty expression from before.

Elleira turned, scanning the battlefield. She could see Deathbringer in the distance, and scowled. (That bastard just won't stay dead. Is this his doing?) she wondered. A soldier saw her, and charged, taking her attention away. She waited until he was as close as possible before stepping to one side, and bringing her knee up into his groin. He yelped in a high-pitched fashion (as most men would) and she took his spear from his now-limp hands, twirling it around and driving it into his chest.

"Well, maybe I do know one respectable move . . ." she quipped. 

Sierra leapt over Escad's blade, landing behind him. She spun, slashing at his back, but only catching the edge of his cloak. He didn't turn, instead, driving his blade backwards under his arm, nearly catching her leg.

The point of the spear dragged across his knuckles, severing his fingers, and his sword fell to the ground. Elleira grinned, swinging it around in a victory pose.

Escad lunged at her, knocking her spear to one side, and slashing her vest open with the sharp bones of his hand. "What the-?!" she cried, grabbing her chest. Blood ran out over her fingers, and she winced as salt from her fingers entered her wound. "Why won't you give up?!"

Sierra fell on his back, both knives driving into him repeatedly. He kept staggering forward, even under her weight, hand raised for another stab with the bony stubs of his hand.

Elleira grabbed her spear, roaring as she drove it into his face, through one of the holes where his eyes had been. Sierra swore and barely moved her head aside as he finally fell, the spear passing through his head and nearly skewering her own. Elleira could only breathe heavily, waiting to see if their efforts had finally killed him. When the corpse didn't move, she got to her feet, clapping her hands together once over his body.

"Rest in peace, Escad."

"You bitch!" Sierra snarled, and Elleira jumped back, a massive anime sweatdrop rolling from her forehead. "You could've killed me!"

"Sorry!" she said, sticking out her tongue. "Heat of the moment, and all."

Sierra sighed, rubbing her eyes. "This girl's a Mana Hero?" she mumbled.

Again the ground shook, and they both stumbled. "What is that?" they asked simultaneously.

*************

Larc and Riven both swore as they fell to their knees again, waiting until the earthquake passed. Barely anyone had noticed them passing through the battlefield, most of them too caught up in trying to bring down the Bone Dragon, and Larc's axe quickly silenced those who had. Riven had been making his way to the Jumi City with a single-minded intent. Pearl . . .

"Riven, who the hell is that?" Larc asked in a low growl, pointing ahead of them. They were a mere two hundred yards from the gates of the city, and all the space between here and there was filled only with corpses.

One figure was approaching the gates, casually waling among the dead as though he didn't see them, or the chaos of the battle behind him.

"I don't know . . ." Riven said, squinting. "I can't see . . ."

The man reached the gates, and raised his hand, knocking briskly. All sound seemed to fade away except for the ringing of the metal. Riven and Larc stared in horror, and the entire battle seemed to cease as the ringing grew louder, and the gates – no, the entire city – seemed to tremble. The gate fell, and the jeweled walls crumbled. There was a moment where everyone watching simply stared in shock and disbelief at the sight. The Bejeweled City had been breached by a single man . . .

The echo faded, and the man began walking inside, and Riven took off at a sprint. Larc said something, but he couldn't hear. He drew Kiijin and kept running. The man hesitated, looking over his shoulder, watching Riven coming at him. He grinned, shaking his head, and continued inside. Riven screamed, the sound quickly overtaken as the cries of victory from the Nanten swelled over everything. The mercenary army rushed towards the gates, and from this close, Riven could see the Jumi inside sobbing and screaming in terror.

The ground shook again, a hundred times stronger then the first two times, and then cracked, open, throwing soldiers everywhere. Riven slid through the rubble as he was thrown, landing hard on his chest. He drove his sword point into the ground, forcing himself to his feet. He saw he was next to the strange white-haired man, who was now staring outside the city. The Mana Hero turned back, trying to see what had happened.

Massive red wings stretched, and flapped violently, as the great red dragon freed itself from the ground. It lifted its head, roaring in the ecstasy of its freedom.

The roar was echoed by two others, as the Sky Dragon and the White Dragon came out of the sky, landing among the Nanten and Deathbringer's forces, slashing and killing hundreds in every sweep. The Red Dragon drew back its head, eyes intent on Riven and the strange man. Flame flickered from its nostrils, and it took to the air. Riven couldn't tell if it was going to rescue the Jumi or not. But based on their previous run in . . .

Lucemia arced down, snapping the dragon out of the air. The Red Dragon screamed in agony, slashing the inside of the giant snake's mouth, beating its now crippled wings against the creature's face.

The man beside Riven laughed harshly. "So much for a triumphant entry, eh?" he asked as Riven stared at him. "Dragons . . . such arrogant creatures." He started forward again, but Riven got to his feet, holding his sword ready. 

"Stand and fight!" he yelled.

The man looked back at him, glancing at his weapon appraisingly. "This is not a story, boy. Courage and magic swords do not make heroes the winners in the end. Are you sure you want to die?" He tossed his head, and his mane of white hair glittered brightly, almost silver in the light. Riven said nothing, moving one hand to his belt, where his flute was tied. 

The man shrugged, raising his fists. The skin on his hands shifted, changing colors, and growing, twisting, bones cracking and reshaping, becoming metal and gold. He flexed the weapons, which looked liked gauntlets, and gestured at Riven to come at him.

"I pity you, hero. I have the hands of god, and you have only a sword . . . a toy sword made by men." He smirked, hands glittering a dangerous and bitter gold. "Now die."


	6. The Hands of A God

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Six ~The Hands of A God~

"What's happening over there?! I can't see!!!" Elleira shouted, trying to push past all the fleeing men. Sierra dodged nimbly from side to side, avoiding most of the rush. Mercenaries were running in terror from the dragons, and now that all four of the were engaged with Lucemia, the wyrm had taken to slamming its own body against the ground in an attempt to crush its antagonists. All it succeeded in doing was killing thousands of the Nanten's army.

Out of fear for their lives, the Nanten army was scattering, breaking apart. 

"The dragons are still fighting Lucemia!" Sierra shouted back.

"Not them, the gate! That man who broke down the gate!"

Sierra leapt up, trying to peer over the running men. "I don't see anything-" 

She was cut off by a massive fist slapping her to the ground with tremendous force. She bounced, rolling to a stop beside Elleira.

Elleira raised her spear, trying to find the attacker. Like a demon, he rose up above the heads of the other men, towering over all of them. He was easily the size of the giant ape Du'Inke, but he was human! 

(Is that even possible?) she wondered. His torso was bare, except for dozens of straps for various weapons that hung on his back. He wore a loincloth that looked to have been made from a scaled beast of some kind. 

He raised his hand again, and brought it down hard, and she barely had time to backflip out of the way. The ground trembled, nothing like the mighty earthquakes caused by the dragons, but more then enough to force Elleira to her knees. The giant shrugged, loosening some sort of strap on his shoulder. He reached behind him, sliding a massive hammer from his back.

"Okay . . ." Elleira said. "That's kind of overkill, don't you think?"

The giant hesitated, confused. Elleira grinned, leaping into the air "HOLY LIGHT!!!" she shouted, showering the giant with light. He stumbled under the spear technique, reaching behind him with his other hand to pull a shield into place over his head, blocking some of the divine rays. Elleira landed, snarling "No fair!"

With a roar, the man hurled the shield at her like a discus, and Elleira dove to the ground. As it flew over her, her body actually moved from the sheer force of the throw. She growled, charging towards him. "BLUE DRAGON!!!" she snarled, only to be smashed to one side by the giant's massive hammer.

She skidded across the ground, creating a long burrow in the ground before finally coming to a stop. Her shoulder was in agony, and she thought that if she looked, she'd probably see bone fragments poking out, but she refused to stay down. Using the spear for leverage, she got to her feet, wobbly.

The giant came at her again, hammer raised in both hands over his head, and she lifted her Dark Harp, preparing to die, but intending to make him hurt for it. Suddenly he roared in agony, and dropped the hammer. She saw Sierra with her knives buried in his side, stabbing him repeatedly. With a grin, she jumped forward, driving the spear upwards into his unprotected stomach. The giant roared again, grabbing her and squeezing. His hands completely enveloped her entire body, her head the only part of her that was still visible.

"What are you?!" she yelled before hissing in pain as he tightened his grip. Spots started appearing in her vision, as he slowly pressed the air out of her lungs. Sierra was still struggling vainly to free her, slashing in a blur at every piece of flesh she could reach. Elleira could see in the giant's eyes that he no longer felt anything Sierra was doing. the entire focus of his being was directed at crushing the life out of Elleira. (His eyes . . . his eyes!)

"Eyes!" she gasped. The pain shooting through her body, and her arm was especially unbearable, but Sierra got the message. She leapt up, scrambling up his back, before driving her knives towards his face. The terror in his face showed he had understood Elleira, and put to rest any doubts inside her that he was anything but human. He dropped her, swinging both hands upwards, smacking Sierra off his back with a force born of desperation.

Elleira dropped to the ground, the last of her energy spent. The giant reached out for her again, one hand gripping his side, blood pouring down over his fingers. His face burst in a small explosion of blood, his eyes slashed out by a fast moving object. A Skeleton Knight caught his bone sword as it flew back to it, and waved it wildly at the giant.

The man stumbled back, screaming his rage, holding its face in its hands. Finally it fell, and the ground shook. The Skeleton Knight came to Elleira's side, and she looked at confusedly. ". . . Vincent?" she asked. It waved its sword and bonked her on the head.

"OW!" she said, pushing at it weakly. "Help me up you jerk!"

He stood still as she pulled herself to her feet, mumbling and swearing under her breath. "Where's Sierra?" she asked him, and he just stood there. She couldn't read its expression, because . . . well, it had none. She petted it on the head, and it did nothing.

"GANZ!!!" A woman screamed, and Elleira spun, almost falling from weakness, but Vincent caught her. A woman dressed in black, a veil of mourning over her head rushed to the giant's side, dropping to her knees. "Ganz! Ganz!" Elleira watched, stunned as the woman shook the giant's body.

He whimpered, and she cradled his head in her lap gently, holding him as his breath started to catch, and then finally stopped. The woman looked up at her, hatred and tears in her eyes. "You! You killed him!" She pounded her small fists on the giant's chest, sobbing. She lifted her head again, and her eyes were black, glowing with dark energy.

"What the . . ." Elleira hissed as Vincent grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't loosen his grip. "What's going on?"

The woman stood, and Ganz stirred. Elleira's eyes opened in shock, as the giant began rising. "Ganz . . . I'll help him rend you limb from limb . . . there won't be enough of you left for even me to resurrect."

*************

"I'm going to help them." Blackpearl headed for the gate, but Elazul's hand on her arm stopped her.

He shook his head. "No. I'll go."

She slapped his hand aside. "I'm no cripple, Elazul! You're the one with the scratched core!"

"I am Pearl's guardian," he said.

"I am not Pearl!" she snarled, before swaying, grabbing the side of her head. Duelle rushed forward, holding her as she slumped to the ground. "I will . . . not be . . . Pearl!" she swore, fighting the transformation.

Elazul looked at the ground uneasily. "I'm sorry," he said, before running off.

She reached out towards him, "Elazul! Stop!" before crying out again, clutching her core, and changing in a flash of light to a girl dressed in white.

Emeralda went to Duelle, touching his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Um . . ." he said, looking up at her. "I'm a bit confused."

The green-haired Jumi nodded. "Yeah . . . so am I."

*************

Kiijin came down in a flash, all of Riven's rage and desperation behind it. The man caught the sword in one hand, grinning like a sadist as he used it to pull Riven closer. His other fist drove into the hero's stomach, and blood spattered from between the Mana Hero's lips. He crumpled to his knees, and the man slapped the hat of his head, grabbing his hair and lifting him until they were face to face.

"What did I just tell you? You can't blame me if you won't listen." Riven flew back as a kick connected with his face, everything happening so fast he couldn't see it. He slammed into a wall, broken jewel fragments cutting through his clothes.

(He's so much stronger . . . then anyone I've ever faced . . .) Riven looked up at the man, who even now was stalking forward to finish him off.

"I am Godhand, leader of the Nanten." He waved a hand across the field. "You've seen only a glimpse of our powers. What made you think you could defeat us?"

"Stop talking and fight," Riven growled, lifting his sword.

Godhand sighed. "You really are something. The resident hero, I'll bet. Listen friend, there are just some battles that can't be won."

"DYNAMITE X!" 

An explosion rocked Godhand, and he stumbled, landing flat on his stomach on the ground. Larc stepped forward, grimacing, axe held ready.

"Larc . . ." Riven groaned. 

Godhand stood, looking over the man who'd attacked him. "That was unwise, Guardian."

Larc growled, shifting his grip on his weapon.

"Fine then . . . I'll finish both of you. It makes no difference to me." Godhand raised his fists.

"No, you won't." Elazul stepped around the corner, drawing his sword slowly. He pulled the mantle of sand from his shoulders and threw it to one side. "You will not be victorious."

"You heroes are all alike. Just lining up to die," Godhand said. "I don't care if there are three of you or three-thousand. Love, courage and friendship do not win battles." He shook a clenched fist at them. "Hate, pain, and pride win battles."

The Lapis Lazuli warrior held his sword ready, eyes grim and determined.

Riven slashed at Godhand's leg from behind, and the warrior hissed, dropping to one knee. "Talking doesn't win battles either!" He danced backwards, moving around Godhand until Elazul and Larc were at his back. "That's just downright sloppy for someone with the 'hands of a god'."

Godhand smirked, and got back up. "And it was downright sloppy of you not to finish me. But you're right, so I'm done talking. Say goodbye!" he ran forward, and Riven slashed at him swiftly. He slapped the blade aside with one hand, punching him in the face with the other.

Larc cut deep into his back with a swipe from his axe, and Godhand seized Riven, throwing him over his shoulder to crash into the Underworld fighter. He went for Elazul, who leapt into the air, sweeping his sword and crying "BIRDS OF PREY!"

Godhand's fists mutated, changing into shields, and the energy bounced off of them, scattering and exploding, sending stone and jewels flying. Larc tossed Riven aside with a snarl, and charged at Godhand again. The man back-flipped, flying up and over Larc's head, before bringing both clenched fists down on Larc's back. There was a sickening crack, followed by Larc's howl of agony. Before he could fall, Godhand backhanded him, sending him flying. Elazul was right there, sword stabbing quickly.

He caught it just as the tip scraped his chest. His hands tightened on the blade, holding it. Elazul kept pushing, forcing it closer and closer, until it finally broke the skin. Godhand grinned, shaking hair out of his eyes. "You're good! I didn't expect to have any fun while I was here!"

"Don't patronize me . . ." Elazul said through gritted teeth.

"As you say," Godhand acknowledged, lifting Elazul and throwing him up into the air. He then back-flipped again, swinging his foot up at the top of his arc, driving Elazul into the ground.

Water suddenly enveloped him, and he thrashed about, trying to break free. He was holding his throat when the water finally broke, and gasping for air, though still on his feet.

Riven held up his flute. "Glove techniques have a weakness. They only work at close range." He began playing again, as Godhand charged him, and once again the fighter was enveloped in a bubble of water, unable to breathe. Riven kept playing, pouring all of his will into making the Mana keep flowing from the instrument. Godhand kept stalking towards him, slowed by the movements of the water, but the strain was showing.

Riven dropped to the ground, weakened from the effort but still playing, as Godhand fell, but was still crawling towards him. Finally, Godhand seized Riven's foot, pulling him in weakly, reaching up and grasping for the flute. Riven kicked at him, fighting to keep him back, but he was still too strong. Godhand ripped the instrument away, crushing it in his fist. Godhand raised a fist, slowly, waveringly, but Riven could tell from the man's eyes there was still enough power there to kill him.

Suddenly, he stopped. Godhand pushed off of the ground, standing weakly, and was forced to brace himself against the remnants of the Jumi city's gate. He stared out into the battlefield, squinting, panting from his exertions. "Damn that girl . . ." he swore, before stumbling away from Riven, back towards the field.

Riven stayed on the ground, aching and bruised, but more confused then anything else. He only moved when he heard a groan, whether it was from Elazul or Larc, he couldn't tell. He just got up, and limped to the first body he found. It was Elazul. "Are you alive?"

"That's . . . one of the . . . stupider questions . . . I've heard today . . ." Elazul grumbled. Riven shrugged, sitting down with a groan. Elazul tried to look up, but only winced and left his head where it was. ". . . you kill him?"

"I wish," Riven said, watching Godhand's retreating back. "He saw something he didn't like, so he left."

Elazul stared at him so blankly that Riven had to smile. "Yeah, that's what I thought too," the Mana Hero said. "Maybe he forgot to water his cactus this morning."

"You know . . . that you're the . . . only one with . . . one of those . . . ugly creatures . . . in this entire world," Elazul said.

"Lil Cactus is not ugly, he's just . . . y'know, a cactus."

They both laughed at their jokes, ignoring their pain for a moment, until a quiet voice snarled at them. "If you two bastards don't shut up and help me, I will kill you both as soon as I can stand."

Riven looked behind him, to where Larc was lying, one shoulder at a peculiar angle. He was flat on his back, head held to one side to keep the pressure off his back. "I'll be right there Larc," Riven said, getting to his feet and stumbling towards him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my back is broken, you idiot."

"Oh." Riven stopped, glancing at the field again. "I don't see Lucemia or the dragons, all the mercenaries have fled . . . have they given up?"

"The Nanten will never give up. You saw Godhand." Larc drew back his teeth, baring fangs. "The Moon Gods will return before the Nanten let go of a victory."

"Can we call the Jumi out of hiding long enough to get some healing tears?" Riven asked.

". . . Riven?" a soft voice asked. 

Riven froze, his whole body tingling. When he turned, he saw the girl standing several yards away, and he couldn't believe it. "Pearl . . ." 

"Riven, you're bleeding . . ." she said, starting towards him. He frowned, looking down, a seeing the fragment of gold metal jammed through his abdomen. Suddenly dizzy, he collapsed. Pearl started running, before slowing to a halt again. She cried out, and in a flash of bright light, became Blackpearl again. The woman was breathing heavily, and whispered something to herself Riven didn't hear. He realized belatedly that he couldn't hear anything.

Blackpearl met his eyes, and they weren't the shy, beautiful, innocent eyes of Pearl. They were filled with pain, and more then a little fear. (What are you afraid of?) he tried to ask, but the blackness enveloped him, and then everything was gone.

*************

Elleira kept pushing back at Vincent, who didn't have the strength in his legs to keep from sliding back, but she still couldn't free herself from his grip with one hand. "Vincent, let me go, or I'm going to die."

"He doesn't understand you," the woman said. "The dead only obey my call. They hear nothing else."

"The dead . . . You're responsible for what happened to Escad!" Elleira cried.

She tilted her head to one side. "Escad . . . ? Ah yes, the knight. Yes, though I wasn't the one who killed him. It was probably Sable. She has a habit of taking the eyes of her victims."

"You . . . you monsters!"

"We? The monsters?" She stepped forward, slapping Elleira hard across the mouth. "If you hadn't tried saving these worthless piles of dirt, Ganz would still be alive! I barely pulled him from the brink of death when whoever you people sent through our camp tore into him! And then you . . . you . . . who doesn't have an once of regal blood in her . . ." 

She grabbed Elleira's hair, wrenching her free of Vincent's grip. "You killed my brother!"

Elleira grabbed Vincent's bone sword from him and smashed it into the woman's face, sending her sprawling. She then turned, jamming it through one of the eye sockets in Vincent's skull, and pushed him over.

Elleira took a step towards the woman, finding a sword on the ground near her feet. She picked it up, testing its weight. "If I kill you, Vincent should come back, Escad can rest in piece, and that thing you call a brother won't be able to get back up," she said, pointing at Ganz's body, which, infused with his sister's power, was still trying to stand.

The woman looked up at her in abject terror, raising her arms to defend herself. Elleira hesitated, sword held high. "I . . . I can't . . ." She dropped the sword. "I can't kill you if you're helpless. Let Vincent go, now."

Vincent stopped struggling with the bone sword in his face, and scratched his head, turning from side to side. Elleira nodded, and started limping away, taking Vincent by the hand to lead him away.

A massive bloody hand seized her, pulling her back. Ganz was on his feet, and held her an easy eight feet off the ground, one fist drawn back to destroy her.

"My brother will have his revenge!" the woman shouted, and Elleira closed her eyes.

Something splattered all over her face and chest, and she fell to the ground as the giant's grip loosened. She wiped at her eyes, looking up, and saw the zombie Ganz trembling, a gold fist through his chest. He fell, and the man behind him shook his head sadly. "Rest in peace, old friend. You've served us well."

"NO!!!" The woman pushed past the newcomer, rushing to her brother's side. "I won't let this happen! I won't let him die! Live, Ganz, please live!" she sobbed, and once again Ganz's body began to rise.

The man with the golden fists wrenched the woman to her feet, and slapped her. She stared at him in horror, tears still running uncontrollably. "Your brother is dead, Kana," he said, and she collapsed against him, sobbing into his chest.

"No, Godhand, No . . ."

The man called Godhand looked at Elleira, and spoke one word. "Leave."

Elleira didn't need a second warning, she grabbed Vincent, and started hobbling away. She could still hear Kana crying into Godhand's chest, and she could almost hear her own heart fluttering in fear. The coldness in the eyes of the white-haired man with the old fists was something she'd never seen before. It was like his soul was empty, and that terrified her. Even the Mana Goddess's evil incarnation had eyes filled with emotion.

She glanced down at Vincent, before pulling the sword from his face and handing it to him. "Assuming he's still alive . . . do you think Riven would be terribly upset if I just went straight to the bar?"


	7. A Change of Pace

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Seven ~A Change of Pace~

"And so . . . the Jumi are fleeing again . . ."

Emeralda nodded. "I've been speaking to Mephianse, and he's said that some of the younger ones can pose as students at the school, but . . ."

"But the rest have nowhere to go," Riven finished, shifting his bandaged arm carefully so that it rested on the table. A crab ran past his feet, escaping from the library. Emeralda sat uncomfortably across the table from him.

"I was wondering if perhaps, I could, maybe . . . stay here, with you." She looked up through her green lashes hopefully.

"You don't have a Knight yet?" he asked.

She blushed. "Well, I turned them down."

"Why?"

"Because," she said quietly. "You agreed to be my Knight."

Riven frowned, looking down at his hands. "As I recall, I failed you. Sandra stole your core, practically in front of me."

"That was only because I ran off!" she protested. "I swear, I won't leave your sight! I can cook, and clean, heal you when you're injured -"

"You can cry?" Riven asked.

She blushed again. "Yes, though I still have to work at it. Florina has been teaching me how." She blushed even redder. "That sounds kind of weird, doesn't it? Learning how to cry . . ."

Riven scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose . . . I did agree to be your Knight."

"Yay!" she shouted, leaping from her seat. "I swear, I won't be a pest."

The door opened, and Elleira came in, beaming. "Guess what?"

"The barkeep kicked you out when he realized you left your Lucre in your other dress?" Riven asked.

She stared at him for a moment before scowling. "The kids are back."

Bud and Lisa came in behind her, looking tousled and sleepy.

". . . What'd you do to them?" Riven asked.

"What's your problem?!" Elleira demanded. "We just went to Polpota Harbor for drinks, is all."

"You took the kids drinking?" Emeralda asked.

"They needed a pick me up," Elleira said defensively. "They got E-X-P-E-L-L-E-D again."

"Um, we can spell," Lisa said before hiccuping loudly.

Bud just grinned, and fell on his face. Riven started getting to his feet, but Emeralda was one step ahead of him. "I'll take them upstairs," she said.

"Elleira . . ." Riven began.

"I know what you're gonna say," she said. "Its not what you think. I gave 'em coffee. They look like that because they ran themselves exhausted."

Riven frowned. "And the hiccupping? And goofball expressions?"

"Side effect from their spell." She grinned. "It was a doozy. Took a lot out of them. Read this letter." Elleira handed him the letter, decorated with Geo's emblem, and read through it.

". . . 'For the sake and welfare of our beautiful city, I pray Bud and Lisa never visit Geo again?' What did they do?!"

Elleira swung a chair around so that she was sitting in it backwards. "You see, Bud wanted to get to the bottom of Kathinja's ability to blow things up by looking at them."

"I already don't like the way this is going," Riven sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"So he made a potion, and put it in the school lunches that day, to test the formula. It gave everyone that ate it head-explody. All they had to do was glare, and the person's head would pop, then regrow."

"Sounds bizarre, but relatively harmless . . ."

She grinned even wider. "You didn't hear the best part. Apparently, when the teacher's went after him to stop him, he sent his pumpkin army to take over Geo! Lisa helped him, after she got caught on her own charges."

". . . so what did Lisa get suspended for?"

"Oh she was caught ditching school to kiss a boy," Elleira waved dismissively. "Against school policy, you know. Out of the two, Bud's was much more impressive! Lisa didn't throw one pumpkin when they found her."

Riven carefully made his face expressionless. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

"Yeah, maybe," she agreed, getting to her feet. She staggered into the back room, and he winced at the sound of her flopping onto the floor.

A knock came at the door, and he sighed loudly, getting to his feet. Emeralda was done the stairs in a flash, across the room and standing in the doorway speaking with the guest before he could take a step. As he sat down slowly, he began to wonder how long her enthusiasm would last.

"Master Riven, I presume?" the man in the doorway said as Emeralda let him pass. "No, please, don't stand. Your young friend here has explained your injuries, and I have no want to aggravate them further."

The man swept the back of his long dark coat back, a subconscious motion as he sat in the chair in the same fashion Elleira had just moments before.

"You can turn that around, if you like," Riven said, and the man smiled.

"No, no, quite unnecessary. I don't expect I'll be here very long." He removed his wide-brimmed hat, revealing graying hair. "I have but a few questions."

"I'll help if I can," Riven said.

"My name is Cervantes. I am currently on a search, looking for a boy I have trained in the art of swordsmanship. It . . . shames me to admit," he said, his eyes downcast, "I believe he may be working for those who caused such trouble for you recently.

"The Nanten?"

Cervantes nodded apologetically. "You see, he tends to think more with his wallet then his head. I've made something of a hobby of taking in and teaching young, troubled children, but this one, well . . ."

He reached into his coat, and slid a picture across the table. It was a rough sketch, done in coal, but the work was obviously that of a skilled artist.

"He goes by the name of Law. He's fairly tall, blonde, carries an evil looking sword and has a foul-mouth."

Riven studied the picture, and finally shrugged. "I'm sorry. I did not see much of the Nanten themselves, only the leader. If your student is with them, I haven't met him."

"Hmm. I see . . ." Cervantes took the picture back, and slipped it back into an inner pocket. "Then I should continue my search."

"You said you had 'a few questions', friend," Riven prompted. "Emeralda, would you maybe get our guest something to drink?"

"Yes of course," she exclaimed, "I'll rush out to the garden, and get some fruit to make some juice. I won't be but a second." She ran from the house.

"Now you can speak freely, sir," Riven said.

Cervantes smiled. "You're perceptive, boy. Very perceptive. I like that." He reached into the other side of his coat, and produced a small snow globe. "Perhaps you can tell me what this is."

Riven's eyes widened. "An Artifact . . . where did you get it?"

The other man waved dismissively. "A rabbit merchant. When I showed interest, he had a change of heart about selling it, but soon enough he gave me a very reasonable price."

"I see," Riven said, suppressing a grin. He always knew Niccolo would get his, but he did hope Cervantes hadn't been too rough. Then again, Cervantes didn't seem to be a man who took violence very lightly.

"I have a few more people to ask questions of, and then I shall return." Cervantes stood, placing his hat on his head, and tipping it towards Riven and Emeralda. 

"Wait," Emeralda said.

Cervantes and Riven turned to look at her. She blushed, and looked down. "Well, um, Cervantes . . . what if you just went to ask Gaeus?"

"Gaeus?" Cervantes asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Riven exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Emeralda yelped, and went to his side, but he shook her off. "Gaeus would know if who you're looking for is here or not."

"Gaeus?" Cervantes asked again, raising his eyebrow higher.

Riven took a step towards the door, tripping over Emeralda's concerned feet, and fell onto his bad arm. The ensuing shout woke everyone in the house, and Elleira came rushing out, half-dressed, a bed table's leg held in both hands. Riven and Cervantes gawked, and Emeralda yelped again, rushing from Riven to cover Elleira and push her into the back room.

"I see . . . you have a very interesting home," Cervantes commented, pulling his hat down further.

Riven covered his face with his hands.

*************

"All right, this is what will happen," Emeralda said. "Riven, you will stay in bed!" She pointed at him, and he nodded sheepishly. "Master Cervantes -"

"Just Cervantes, please," the man protested modestly.

"- Cervantes will be escorted to Gaeus by Miss Elleira."

"My sword is still missing . . ." Elleira grumbled, rubbing her temples. Lil' Cactus poked gently at her shoulder, and she turned slightly, and he handed her some coffee. Elleira grinned toothily, tossing back the drink quickly.

Emeralda grabbed Cervantes and Elleira by the arms, and started pushing them towards the stairs, carefully stepping over the bed mats the kids had thrown down to sleep on. "Now, out! Out with you! Riven needs his rest!" She dug around behind the hat rack next to the door (one of quite a few) and pulled out a hidden spear, which she lobbed out the door, before shutting it firmly.

Outside, Cervantes and Elleira watched as Emeralda shut all the curtains and locked the door with what sounded like a half dozen locks. "Rather . . . efficient nursemaid, isn't she?" Cervantes pondered, scratching his chin.

"Only when it comes to Riven," Elleira said with a grimace. "Ugh . . . my head. I think the girl has a bit of a crush on her Knight."

Cervantes arched a bushy eyebrow at her. "But Riven . . . he's not a . . ."

"No, he's not a Jumi. But he is her Knight." She shrugged. "It's a long story. I can tell you on the way if you like."

". . . No. As much as I'd like to hear it," Cervantes sighed. "I'd best be concentrating on the task at hand."

She shrugged again, and both of them started out for the Luon Highway.

*************

Godhand sat alone in the darkness of his tent, staring at his hand. It was glittering gold, even in the small amount of light shining in from the moon and stars. One with the hands of a god . . . bested by children with toy swords.

He clenched his fist, harder and harder until it shook, until blood started dripping from where his nails cut into his palm. Who were they? Those dragons . . . if Vandal hadn't been such a fool, we could've had the Jumi weeks ago. His constant games cost the Bejeweled City, and likely cost us the Jumi. He sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. Even now the Jumi are fleeing. Kana is useless in this state of grieving. Ganz is dead, Agony and Ecstasy aren't ready. That leaves Sable, Vandal, and myself.

Angrily, he remembered the hero, playing his Aqua Flute; he remembered being trapped that fool's little bubble of water. The look of terror on his face as he took his little toy away and crushed it. So ridiculously close to death, and he'd left him to tend to Kana. (Maybe I'm growing soft,) he thought.

With a sigh, he walked to his cot, carefully removing a sword from underneath the mattress. It'd been reportedly dropped by the girl hero, and she hadn't tried searching for it before she fled. Aside from being a double-gripped sword, it was precisely the same as the one wielded by the boy. _Kiijin _was inscribed on its side. None among his troops had been able to decipher it. He set the sword down cautiously, and stared at it, willing it to reveal its secrets.

The tent flap came open, distracting him, and Vandal entered. He was leading Agony and Ecstasy, who walked hand in hand. "I've brought the twins, like you asked."

"You've taken a long time, Vandal. You didn't take any _detours_, did you?" Godhand said, his voice cold.

Vandal shook his head. "Just one. But you'll like what I found." He tugged hard on a rope that Godhand hadn't seen in his hand, and the leader of the Nanten got to his feet in one fluid motion.

A girl stumbled into the tent, landing hard on her knees in front of Godhand. She looked up, dirt-smudged face streaked from tears, and her green dress torn, muddy and broken. "May I present the jewel thief, Sandra." Vandal bowed gracefully, and backed out of the tent, throwing Godhand the makeshift leash before letting the flap fall.

Sandra stared up, eyes filled with hate and water, and Godhand wondered just what Vandal had done to catch her. Surely he wouldn't dare violate a woman, now that he was back? Vandal knew full well the punishment Godhand inflicted on those types of criminals. At one time, it had been the Nanten Eight . . .

"So," she coughed, wiping her mouth with her hand. "So what do you have planned for me?"

"Sandra the jewel thief." Godhand frowned, looking at the rope in his hands. He dropped it, dusting off his hands. Before she could react, his hand snapped out and caught her by the scruff of her neck, wrenching her closer. He snapped the rope around her neck effortlessly, before pushing her back down. She gasped as she landed hard on her backside. "I'm surprised you let yourself be caught."

"Your friend back there was very persuasive," she said with a scowl.

"I can imagine." Godhand ran both hands through his mane, before sitting back down on his cot. She stared at him in shock and suspicion.

"I have a proposition for you. You know more of this part of the world then I, and you have experience hunting Jumi." Her stare grew harder, and Godhand laughed. "You did much better at hunting the Jumi to extinction then any mercenary group that ever chased them."

"What do you want?" Sandra asked, her voice strained.

Godhand smiled, cracking his knuckles. "The Jumi are going to die, regardless of what happens. Whether its by my hand, or someone else's. Humanity will not allow it to exist. One of the less pleasant aspects of our species. I am offering you a chance, Sandra, to avoid their fate. You, and perhaps one other. Hmm . . . now what was it? I'm so terrible with names."

"Florina . . ." Sandra whispered.

"Yes," he said. "You and Florina run away, far, far away, after you get me all the rest of the Jumi cores. And some names."

"Names?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"I don't know. A boy, with a lot of hair and a silly looking hat. And a girl, with sticks in her hair."

Her eyes widened. Sandra opened her mouth, but shut it again, without speaking, eyes downcast. Godhand got to his feet, taking her chin in one of his hands and forcing her to look at him. She hissed at the cold feel of his gold fingers against her skin.

"The heroes and your people will die, with or without your help. But you and the Florite do not have to die with them." He let her go, walking past her and throwing open the tent flap. "I expect an answer by dawn. If you have not succeeded in obtaining at least one core, then I will assume you have forfeited the possibility of an agreement between us. Happy hunting, Alexanderite." 


	8. Ghosts of the Luon Highway

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Eight ~Ghosts of the Luon Highway~

__

I hate you

God I hate you.

You monster . . .

You sickening beast.

"What the hell is going on?" Elleira whispered, clenching her spear tightly.

Cervantes shook his head, continuing forward. Something leapt out of the darkness from the side of the road, screaming at him insanely. He met it with a cold stare, and a sneer. There was a flash, and the shadow burst into a thousand pieces, each glittering like an ebony stone in the moonlight. He sheathed his sword, and pointed off the path. "I'm told ghosts and other such creatures congregate on the sides of roads when they cannot reach their destinations. We should be on our guard."

Elleira gulped loudly. "No kidding."

They started down the road, and as much as Elleira would have liked to go faster, Cervantes set a leisurely pace, stopping every now and then to halfway draw his sword. Several times she caught the lettering _Chance_ on the side of the blade, in an elaborate script. It was beautifully done, and made her heart ache for her own sword.

"Cervantes . . ." she asked. "You don't suppose that woman had anything to do with this? These ghosts?"

He pondered, scratching his chin. They'd discussed the entire tale on their way to the Highway, and he knew as much of it as she did. "I . . . don't think so. These are spirits . . . more or less. Kana's creatures were zombies. Physical forms she could manuever once the soul had fled."

Elleira pursed her lips thoughtfully, looking at him.

". . . What?" he asked.

"You talk funny," she said at last. He laughed, and shook his head.

"One might say the same about you, where I come from." His smile slipped somewhat. "I speak elaborately because of my position. The lord I serve prefers we all are schooled in the use of words, as well as weapons."

"What kind of job do you do?"

"I'm a priest."

"No kidding?" she asked, reaching into her vest, and pulling a flask. "I never would have guessed that."

Cervantes nodded. "The sword throws people off."

She grinned. "So do you take confessions?"

"Occasionally. Most of them are deathbed confessions, though." He hefted his sword, and she nodded somberly.

The road narrowed, and Elleira knew they were closer to Gaeus. She cleared her throat, trying to word her question perfectly.

"I've lived my life as best as I could," she said, forcing herself to look ahead, and not at Cervantes. "Not a lot of people would be proud of how I've gone about it, but it suits me just fine. I like to drink, make love, and fight. My teacher taught me that there is a lot of grey area to life."

"How so?" Cervantes asked.

"Well . . . Escad, for example. His friend Matilda was in love with a half-demon named Irwin. But Matilda had all these powers, and the burden of their responsibility hurt her, a lot. Irwin stole her powers to take away that pain, but it aged her terribly. Escad figured it was because he was a demon that he stole her powers, not because he wanted to take away her pain. So Escad made it his life's work to kill Irwin. I ended up crippling Escad, and he was only doing the right thing, from his point of view."

She sighed, scratching her head. "I guess I'm asking . . . is there ever a point where the good guy is clear cut? Irwin had to die, because he wanted to destroy the world. Matilda didn't want to interfere, because destroying the world made Irwin happy - though it wasn't the destroying part he had a bone for, it was taking away Matilda's suffering.. But in the end, for all their efforts, neither him, Escad, or Matilda got what they wanted."

There was a moment of silence between them, and as the shadows gave way to the giant stone outcrop where Gaeus resided. Elleira wondered if Cervantes was going to answer her at all.

". . . That doesn't sound so much like a question of whether the grey areas get any more defined. It sound to me like a question of whether or not anything we do makes any difference in the end."

She lowered her head, and nodded.

"There's a long answer, and a short answer."

"What's the short answer?" she asked.

"The short answer is 'Yes'," Cervantes said, stepping forward onto the outcropping of rock which was Gaeus's hand.

Unlike every other time, nothing happened. Elleira stood, gawked at Cervantes, who hesitated, then tapped his foot on the hand. The silence stretched for so long that she wondered if they were speaking telepathically, and all her conversations with Gaeus had been just like this; silent to everyone else not standing right there.

"So . . . this is an interesting outcome," Cervantes mused.

"What? What?" Elleira stepped forward, squinting into the darkness. "Gaeus, what's going on?"

Cervantes shook his head, and looked around. "He's not here, Elleira."

"WHAT?!" she shrieked, leaping forwards. She stumbled, and fell, tumbling several feet. Where there should have been a big rock face, there was nothing. The road continued onwards as if the Wisdom had never existed. "What . . . what's going on?" Once she was standing again, she dusted off her legs. Cervantes opened his mouth to answer, but a sudden howl from a different part of the Highway caught their attention. They both took off, running towards it. 

*************

__

I HATE YOU!!!

Elleira stumbled as the words crashed into her, almost like a solid thing. With a hiss, she lifted her spear, looking for something to fight.

__

YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!

Cervantes drew his sword calmly, and waited. If he felt the words being thrown at him, there were no outward signs of it. Elleira grimaced, trying to see where it was coming from. The steady hum of the quieter voices still hung in the background, but the louder one, the one with the force behind it, seemed to be moving. Just ahead of them in the blackness.

__

DAMN YOU!!! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!

She lifted her spear, and it shook in her hands, a black object spattering across its tip. It dripped to the ground, and she stared at it, shocked. "These things on the road! These things are Shadoles!"

"Or at least their essence . . ." he remarked.

__

YOU MONSTERS!!! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!

A dark-skinned woman stepped out of the shadows, which had become a roiling mass of Shadoles. She wore a strip of cloth across her eyes, and carried a crossbow of blackened wood in one hand. Elleira took a step back, blushing and averting her eyes. "She's not wearing . . . any clothes . . ." she said.

__

NOW I AM SABLE, OF THE NANTEN. Her bow raised, and a Shadole arced out, stopped by Elleira's quick slash. _AND YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!_

"Lady, I don't even know you," Elleira said.

__

Chance lashed out, scattering the Shadole mass, and causing Sable to dance backwards to avoid the blade. Cervantes moved like a demon, his speed incredible, his coat flapping about him wildly. Elleira dove in, stabbing recklessly, trying to drive Sable onto Cervantes' sword.

Sable leapt straight into the air, twisting around, and firing a volley of Shadoles down at them. With a curse, Elleira dove out of the way. The swordsman raised his hand, and the Shadoles slithered across the ground, creating a perfect circle around him.

"BLITZ DARKNESS –" he began, but the Shadoles he had diverted leapt up, coming at him. They cut into his legs, and he fell as they swarmed over him. "- HAND!!!" came the muffled cry, and the mass exploded ouitwards, light shattering them completely. Cervantes spat to one side, his hand smoking.

Elleira dropped back, looking him over. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I didn't expect someone like this here . . . Fa'Diel has changed," he said, an amused look on his face.

Sable finally stopped dancing, posing for a moment to taunt them, though even that was lithe and graceful._._

Elleira lifted her spear, and charged. Sable fired rapidly, but Elleira drove her point into the ground, vaulting herself up and over the Underworld creatures. She planted both her feet into Sable's chest, sending her backwards roughly. Quickly, her hand shot out, and she grabbed Sable's hair, pulling her close and driving her other fist into her face over and over.

"GET! KNOCKED! OUT! YOU! CRAZY! BITCH!" Elleira yelled, punctuating each of her blows. Sable finally slipped from her grip, sobbing and breathless, and Elleira tried to grab her again, and caught the cloth, pulling it from her eyes.

  
Colors flowed like water in those twin orbs, and Elleira could only gasp in the face of such beauty. She was stunned. Every single color she'd ever seen and some she'd only seen in dreams flittered across in front of her, in this young woman's eyes. With them revealed, all the Shadoles faded away.

  
"Don't look at me!" Sable cried, covering her face and pushing Elleira away. "Haven't you done enough?!"

"What . . . what did I do?" Elleira whispered, collapsing. She didn't even wince as she bruised her tailbone. 

Cervantes staggered over to the girl, giving her the blindfold, which she clutched to tightly, trying to wipe away rainbow colored tears. "She's not speaking to you or I. Not really. In her mind . . ." He shook his head. "She's talking to whoever gave her those eyes."

"But who . . ." Elleira shook her head. "Who could do something like that?"

"A god," Cervantes said. He stroked the girl's hair as she sobbed. "Or an angel. Probably sired her on an unsuspecting mother and then disappeared. Gods aren't usually too keen on their responsibility as parents."

Elleira stood shakily, looking at her hands, which were covered in silver. The same silver that poured from the broken lip of the girl. "So what do we do?" she asked.

"Put some in a vial, and pour it on your sword when you get the chance." Cervantes looked up at her. "It will make your weapon into something that can kill a god." The girl turned into his chest, crying into him. "But for now . . . just go home. I'll be along shortly."

The Mana Hero nodded, and feeling rather unheroic, started away.

Cervantes waited several minutes, to be sure she was gone, before stepping back, and slashing Sable. She fell to the ground, blood spilling out and gleaming like a pool on the dusty road. He stood, coolly wiping the blood from his sword. Sheathing it, he paused instead of going after Elleira, cocking his head to one side. In a quiet voice, he announced "I can hear you."

"It seems I came too late yet again." An indistinct voice came from the darkness. "All's well, though. She's not the type to die so easily."

"You would be the infamous Godhand." One hand on his sword, he tipped his hat again.

"I'll kill you, you know." Only Godhand's fists were visible, a burning golden and brighter then the bloody ground. Shaking with a rage held by a thread.

"I have no doubt you'll try," Cervantes said. "But I am a Dark Holy Swordsman. And I've outlived far greater and far older foes then you."

There was a sound like a hiss from the darkness, golden hands fading away along with the spectral figure they belonged to. And in the newly rising light, the body of the dark-skinned girl turned to snowflies, and fluttered away.


	9. Night comes and she is still awake

Brilliance, A Legend of Mana Story

Nine ~ "Night comes, and she is still awake . . ." ~

__

Meanwhile . . . .

Elazul slept so soundly that Pearl didn't have the heart to wake him. Instead, she placed herself between the candle and her knight, and began trying to write another letter to Riven. It was much harder then she imagined, since everytime she thought she had come to grips with how she felt – everytime she decided one way or the other – she would remember something he had done, or said.

The way he'd looked at her in the Tower of Leires, or the furiousity with which he'd fought Sandra's Jewel Beasts. Gently chiding her when he found her wandering the Luon Highway . . .

She blushed, and hated herself for it. It was so silly, after all . . . pining after a man she could never truly share herself with. Not with Blackpearl inside of her. Elazul snored, and she jumped, covering her letter with both hands. She knew also that Elazul would never approve, no matter how much he liked Riven. As great a guy as he was, Riven was no Jumi.

__

Riven,

We're on the move again, spreading out just like before. 

I'm scared, and I don't know what to do - I thought the running was over, 

but now . . . all of this . . . 

I'm sorry, that's not what I wrote to tell you.

Riven, I hope that when next we meet, we can speak freely, but for now, 

I can only hold onto the hope that there will_ be a next time._

Riven . . . If anything should happen . . . I need you to know . . .

I love you.

With a sigh, Blackpearl held the letter over the candle until it burned, then shook it out, dropping it to the floor, and crushing it. _I can't keep going this way._ She stood up, looking at Elazul briefly before stepping outside. The night air was cool on her face, and she welcomed it. Thinking of Riven always got her so confused, and it gave Pearl a foothold to keep returning. It could not go on.

Something shifted in the woods ahead of her, and she lifted her hammer. Sierra had allowed her and Elazul to hide out in the home of her master, but since Vadise had disappeared with Lucemia and the other dragons, his protection meant very little.

A fairy flitted out of the forest abruptly, and shrieked as Blackpearl swore, pulling her hammer to the side and just missing the little creature. "You shouldn't do such things, little one," Blackpearl said. "Next time you might not be so lucky."

The fairy sniffed loudly, and then flew back into the woods. Something stirred again, and Blackpearl frowned, squinting hard in an attempt to see. Suddenly, a large beast stumbled out of the brush, led and apparently also held up by several more faeries. He was bloody, fur matted together but not hiding his terrible wounds. He glanced up, and Blackpearl could see only one of his eyes was open, the other closed to keep blood out of it. He breathed heavily, and they stared at each other, wordlessly.

Blackpearl grunted, clutching her core, the heart of her being, as it flashed violently, and she slipped back into Pearl. The girl panted, holding onto the jewel for a few more seconds, before wiping a hand across her face, and flicking her tears at the creature.

He shivered, dropping to a crouch as the tears rejuvenated him. They were not much, but his bleeding stopped, and he was able to move without the aid of the faeries.

"Lord Irwin," one of the faeries gasped. 

He held up a hand to silence her, and cocked his head to one side. "Neat trick, Jumi."

Pearl nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Blackpearl was fighting inside of her, struggling insanely to become dominant again. Irwin nodded in return, and settled back against the nearest tree. They both rested there, for several moments more, neither looking at the other.

"So . . . You're Irwin, yes?" Pearl asked softly.

He nodded his assent.

"Then . . . you know about Lucemia descending on our city."

Irwin growled low in his throat. "Yes. The Nanten's devil woman, Kana, said she would . . . _help_ me . . ." Finally, he sighed, dropping his head. "I was a fool."

"May I ask . . . how?"

Irwin scowled darkly, turning his head away. "I've rested long enough. I have a giant snake to reclaim." He stood, and the faeries huddled around his feet leapt to attend him. He started off into the forest, before turning back briefly. "I owe you . . . But your boon will have to wait until another day. If I survive, I'll grant it."

"If we survive, I'll think of something," she said sadly, though he was already gone.

The world was falling apart. The Nanten were far more powerful then anyone had realized if they could steal Lucemia from Irwin. Even the Onion Knights were scattered and unwilling to fight. The Jumi were on the verge of disappearing; the Dragons already had. Riven had already done more then any one man for her people, had risked his life countless times. And she was struggling with herself about whether she loved him.

And sitting there, alone in the dark, both Pearl and Blackpearl realized what they had to do.

*************

Riven leaned against Trent's trunk, grimacing at the sharp, shooting pains running rampant through his body. _That man . . . that demon of a man . . . how powerful could one person be?_

With a shiver, he pulled his hat down over his eyes. "How much stronger can he be then me?"

__

"You look troubled, Riven".

"Yeah . . . you could say that."

__

"You fear the one with the Hands of God?"

Riven smirked, thinking for a moment. "Not really. He seemed just like a man. Except psychotically powerful."

The tree "hmm'd" at him, and the branches rustled. Riven shrugged, settling down more against the tree. Tending the garden always made him sleepy, probably because there weren't weapons clashing next to his head.

"I think . . . I think what I'm really afraid of . . . is dying." He yawned. "I can't die when people are depending on me."

__

"So it is not really death you fear, but failure."

"I never thought of putting it like that. *YAWN* Yeah, I think you've hit the mark that time."

Trent chuckled light-heartedly. _"Then in order to be unafraid, you must become stronger."_

Riven didn't answer, as he'd drifted off to sleep from the tree's soothing voice.

__

Lucemia came down, bellowing its fury, the cloud's parting, and Godhand rode astride the massive beast, like a demonic chariot, laughing as the creature began to sing. Its words were so loud Riven thought his ears would bleed, and so quiet he couldn't hear what it was saying. But the words came through, all the same.

Come to me!

Need me!

I am love, and I will give you everything you need!

But he knew Lucemia was none of those things, though he could see others swaying out of the corners of his eyes, some walking, some charging towards the voice. All of them teary-eyed and desperate. He tried to call out to them, but his voice froze in his throat when he saw Pearl, staggering towards him, eyeless, her hands outstretched.

I need you.

Walk with me . . .

I will be everything you need. I am everything you need.

Riven woke, stifling a scream, and sitting in the shade of the sleeping Trent, remembered exactly who HAD said those words.

*************

Emeralda hadn't heard him leave, but when she woke, she knew he was gone. She couldn't say quite how she knew, but it was there, and she didn't question it. She'd been able to sleep, comforted but the knowledge that he was sitting in the garden, only a short walk away. So now she sat up, writing in her diary by candlelight, fighting back tears and wondering why she felt betrayed. He was going to find Pearl, that much was obvious. _And it wasn't like Riven had ever showed any of that sort of affection towards me. Pearl's not even a real person! She's a flaw in Blackpearl's core!_

She wiped at her eyes, and closed her little book, ashamed at how childish she was being. It was wrong to say Pearl wasn't real, just because she was jealous. Even if – _no, I mustn't let myself think that way. Pearl's my friend!_

There was a tapping at the door, and she blinked, looking towards the window. _Could Elleira and Cervantes be back already? Riven back to confess his undying love? Ha!_

"Coming, coming," she said, wiping at her eyes hurridly and rushing to the door. She opened it, and a hand shot out, seizing her core. Suddenly breathless, she dropped to the floor, clutching the hand that was strangling the center of her being. She couldn't scream, or fight back; all she could do was hold on.

The figure stepped into the light, and again, all of Emeralda's nightmares came true. Sandra was standing above her, ready to rip the core from her at any moment. Again terror gripped her heart, just as Sandra gripped her soul.

"I'm sorry. Please know that . . . I don't have a choice." Sandra looked away, and started to pull, and then the screams came, as Emeralda's very essence was being ripped from her. 

"GO! PUMPKIN HOARD!!!" Bud cried out, and suddenly the room was filled with pumpkins, bouncing around and leaping for Sandra. She shrieked, and tried to pull away with the core, but a pumpkin latched its teeth into her arm, forcing her to let go. Emeralda curled into a ball, clutching her chest, not even having the strength to roll away.

"So, you try to attack someone in the very home of Bud the Malignant?!" Bud cried, leaping from the foot of the stairs with his frying pan held high. Sandra flung her other hand out, the thrown card slicing his hand and causing him to drop his weapon. "OWWW!!!"

"BOULDER DRUM!!!" Bud yelled, sending boulders crashing towards her, smashing the table, busting through the wall, and becoming lodged in it. Sandra tripped over another pumpkin, falling backwards down the stairs.

"Damn you! I have to have that core!" she snarled. The jewel thief raised both hands, and began throwing cards, one after the other, and Bud was caught up in the hail of slicing paper. Lisa came down the stairs next, broom held high and Lil' Cactus at her side, and shrieked when she saw the woman in green. Sandra seized one of the few unbroken chairs and flung it at the little girl, just as another pumpkin bit ferociously into her leg. With a curse, she leapt for the hole in the door, and was gone.

Bud grumbled as he got back to his feet, wincing each time he noticed a new cut on his clothes, though very few of the cards had sliced the skin. He bolted the door, and turned, resting against it heavily. Lisa gathered herself enough to ask what was going on, what was happening, but he didn't say anything, instead fighting his way through the debris to Emeralda's side.

Lisa cleared her throat, walking over and tapping Bud on the shoulder. "What just happened?" she asked, looking down fearfully at the gasping and sobbing Jumi.

"We're not safe here anymore," Bud said softly.

*************

Just outside the window, Vandal lit a cigarette, and tossed the match into the kindling he had stacked against the house. During the fight, no one had noticed him whistling as he had used firewood to block off the first floor windows. It started to burn slowly, and he patted down his person, before finally pulling out a flask. He popped off the top, taking a quick pull of the contents before splashing it generously on the wall and fire. It burned fast and hard, traveling up the wall quickly.

"No little wizard. You're not safe _anywhere_ anymore," he sneered.


	10. Interlude: Advice

Brillance, A Legend of Mana Story

Interlude ~Advice~

All eyes turned to the three who entered; two children and an old man. With a great deal of grumbling, everyone went back to their meals and drinks (mostly drinks) and ignored them. The old man patted each child on the back, sending them towards the counter, where they both sat, politely quiet, and waited. The bartender looked at them, then at the old man, who was circulating the room, observing card games and dart throwers, carefully leaning on his cane, and sighed.

  
"What'll it be, kids?" he asked. Both immediately relaxed, the boy slouching, the girl putting both elbows on the table and kicking her feet wildly. Neither looked to be older then seven. Probably younger.

The boy yawned, wiped at his eyes and said "Milk."

The girl glanced at the wall behind him, and smiled. "Knyjatekkan, a lot of ice, with some orange juice in a separate cup."

The innkeeper gawked at her, his mouth working, but nothing came out. The old man finally had made his way to the counter, and he tapped her on the shoulder. She straightened up instantly. "Elleira," the old man scolded.

"I'll have some milk," she said, her voice sullen.

The old man sat down, and tapped the countertop. "Knyjatekkan."

"Hey!" the girl cried. When the old man looked at her, she hushed, turning away with a scowl. The bartender poured all the drinks, and wandered off to help his serving girl carry trays.

"Saiga, you old dog, you should just let her have her way. She'll only cry again," a familiar voice said, as he closed the door behind him. Everyone in the building turned, and watched him, none looking away after a moment this time. The man with the giant mane of white hair shook himself, but the paltry effort wasn't enough to rid himself of the soaking his hair and dark red robe had taken. The old man said nothing, drinking quietly, no bothering to look back.

"What's the matter?' the man asked. "You act as though we're strangers, father."

"You're no son of mine, Seven." Saiga swirled his glass, and tapped it lightly. The bartender came and refilled it.

Seven laughed. "Listen, we'd better start getting along. Alyse would never forgive us if we fought just a week after her wedding."

Several chairs slid back, accompanied by the hard sound of wood scraping wood. The burly men in those seats all drew weapons; chains, clubs, knives. Saiga rolled his eyes. Elleira looked back at the crowd, and all the men approaching Seven. "What's happening?" she asked.

"Mercenaries," Saiga answered.

Seven raised his hands. "Please, gentlemen, I've sworn not to fight. "You see, a wedding vow you know, you're not supposed to break them."

"Then don't fight it," one of the men snarled, lunging forward with his dagger.

Saiga pushed away from the counter. "Or maybe assassins," he said, as he lifted his cane.

Within seconds, he'd crossed the room, cane a blur, stopping before Seven. He slid the hidden blade back into the cane, and slammed the end onto the ground. "Now you see why I didn't want you marrying her?!"

Seven scowled. "I could've protected her from this, if you hadn't made me take that vow."

"I made you take the vow because I know it will show you the truth about yourself." Saiga turned, leaning hard on his cane, heading back for the counter. "And so that she could see the truth about her choice."

Seven turned, ripped open the door with such force that the top hinge broke, and it tilted to one side. "I'll tell you one thing, _father_. She chose me. And wedding vow or not, if harm comes to her, I'll destroy it. I don't care about myself, but nothing in this world, not men, flammies, the Moon Gods or even the Mana Goddess herself will hurt her."

He stalked out into the rain, thunder crashing savagely somewhere nearby. Saiga collapsed against the counter, covering his face with both hands. After several seconds, Elleira tugged at his sleeve. He looked down at her, and she smiled. "I don't need a Knyjatekkan, Master Saiga."

He smiled at first, then laughed, sweeping her into his arms and hugging her, forgetting his troubles for the moment.

*************

"Master Saiga!" Riven yelled from the doorway. "I've got them on the run! They won't escape me!" He charged away, not waiting for a response. He already knew what it would be. The children were teenagers now, fourteen years old. Saiga thought back, remembering how he'd found them. Two orphans, five years old. Passed over by every person that came to their orphanage. The big floppy hat looked silly on Rven, though it'd looked quite sad back then covering half his face, dirty and gray. (Elleira's sticks were a new fad, but she clung to the as though she'd cherish them forever.) Saiga had adopted them, because both children had looked grim enough to make him wonder what was wrong with the world. It had been a long time since anything had made him think about the world at large.

He lifted Alyse's head, and set it in his lap. She was cold, his beautiful young girl was cold, and all he could do was sit and wait while his students went out and hunted down her murderers. He hadn't the heart to check her body and see if they had done more then kill her. It was all he could do not to grab his sword and take his own life.

The door creaked, and he looked up, bleary-eyed. Seven stood there, Elleira under one arm, Riven over another. Saiga said nothing as Seven set them down on a couch, and walked over to him. He knelt down, and bowed before Alyse's dead body. And before Saiga.

"Not even the Mana Goddess herself, Seven?" Saiga asked.

"I killed him," Seven said. "It took everything within him, but I finished him off."

"I don't care," Saiga said. "Hold her, for a while, and I'll go start digging."

Seven stood up abruptly. "I can't," he said, his voice strained.

Saiga narrowed his eyes. "Why? Nothing else matters now, she's gone. She'd forgive you killing to avenge her."

"Its not that," Seven said. He pushed aside his robe, and lifted his hands. They shone bright and gold, a metallic sheen that human skin was not capable of. "He cursed me. He cursed me with his hands." Seven fell to his knees. "Silver blood, and golden hands."

The old swordsman looked at his son in law, unable to speak. He folded Alyse's arms across her chest, and gently laid her on her back. He stood, and slapped Seven hard. "Idiot!" He struck him again. "You never let me, the one person who had any say so, stop you from holding your wife! Well, this is your last chance, you bastard! Pick her up! Hold her! Hold her, you bastard!" He went to slap him again, but one of those golden hands rose up, and caught his arm. He flung Saiga to the ground. He got to his feet, staring at them.

"I won't. These are not my hands. They're his. I will not sully her with that thing's touch again." Seven turned, marching towards the doorway. "When I make these things mine, I'll return. Not before." He left, and Saiga was left alone to bury his daughter.


	11. Pets

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story  
Chapter Ten ~Pets~

*WHAP*

"Wark!" Sephiroth yowled, covering his head with his wings. He got up, glaring at the animal who'd hit him. Vincent said nothing, merely pointed outside. The Chocobo sniffed the air, and walked quickly to the door. With a soft wark, he ducked behind the door to the barn, shielding himself from sight.

"Lord Vandal, do we burn the barn?"

There was a moment of silence, then: "Yeah, torch it. Then help me destroy this workshop."

Sephiroth and Vincent exchanged glances. Vincent tapped the side of his skull with his bone sword, a quiet hollow sound echoing through it. The Chocobo shifted uneasily, then nodded, spreading his wings to let the bone knight on.

The soldiers chucked their torches through the doorway at the same time the roof burst apart. The black Chocobo warked loudly, and Vincent flung his sword like a boomerang, knocking down the two men. Sephiroth landed on one, and scratched and clawed at him until he lay still, while Vincent proceeded beating the other senseless with his blunt sword.

After several seconds, the mercenaries stopped struggling, and lay quiet. Both pets peered about, searching for more enemies.  
  
"Wark!" Sephiroth warked, bobbing his head at the trees. There wasn't a very clear view of the master's house, but the flames and smoke were evidence enough. The pets leaped the fence, and charged. The lawn was burning in patches, so they carefully avoided them, working their way to the door. The bad men had nailed a board in place, to hold whoever was trapped inside in. It had symbols carved on it, to stop magic from working against it. Vincent reached for the board, planning to rip it off, when the flames rose up and blasted him to the ground. Sephiroth warked loudly, and danced away. A shape rose in the flames, cackling maniacally.

It was as tall as the door, and twice as wide. Its head seemed to take up most of its body, and there was a gnashing set of teeth directly on its belly. Its entire body was made of flames, and it flickered wildly as it spoke.

"_I am Ryuzuu the flame,_" it said. "_This is my sacrifice, you cannot have it._"  
Vincent charged, flinging his sword, and crashing into the flames. Ryuzuu laughed, and the skeleton writhed inside the flames, slashing wildly, unable to hit anything solid. The demon spat him out through it's belly-mouth, and Vincent landed hard on the ground. His clothes were burning, and his bones were scorched black.

Sephiroth waved his wings, and spun in a circle, before spitting out a ball of Choco-Fire. The demon laughed, as the flames enlarged him. Vincent smacked Sephiroth on the head, who only wark'ked helplessly.

"_Children turned to ash . . . my favorite kind of feast._" Ryuzuu taunted. "_This makes the devil-drinker's slavery of me all worth it._"  
  
Vincent stepped forward, but Sephiroth waved a wing. He spun in a circle, and flapped his wings frantically. "WARK!" it yelled.

Loosely translated, that meant "CHOCO-METEOR!"

The demon Ryuzuu looked up, confused, as the sky turned red, and the purple meteor fell. It cried out, screaming shrilly as the meteor struck it, and exploded in a brilliant display of purple light. The flames died down, and finally stopped. Vincent ran forward, breaking the board with a single swipe of his sword. The door swung open, and Lisa came out, supporting her brother. Emeralda staggered out as well, coughing painfully. All three of them looked at the pets, and then around the yard.

"Did you save us?" Lisa asked.

"Rock on!" Bud yelled. He ruffled Sephiroth's feathery head, who coo'd softly at the attention.

Emeralda said nothing, collapsing on the steps, breathless. "We . . . have to . . . run," she gasped.

Lisa and Bud nodded. "C'mon boys, we've gotta get out of here." Vincent and Sephiroth hesitated, then looked up the path. Then both pets stepped in front of the children protectively. "What's the matter?" Bud asked.

"Its too late . . ." Emeralda said softly.

Two men and a woman stood at the edge of Riven's property, looking up at the children thoughtfully. The two men were very old, one wearing a a red and white uniform, with a golden cross over his heart; the other wore dark robes, and carried a book at his side, which rested in a makeshift holster. Both were balding, with only the fringes of white hair at the backs of their heads, but the one in dark robes had tattoos of magical symbols all over his forehead.

The woman was something else entirely. She wore an outfit that seemed made up of white and yellow scarves, and her face was covered with a fox mask. A long steel baton was held loosely in a two handed grip.  
  
"Elves," the man with the tattoos said, his voice phlegmy and disgusting. "I want them."

"Not the Jumi?" the other asked.

"Godhand has claimed the Jumi for his own. But the Elves . . ." the man grinned lasciviously. "They are mine."

The other man turned his head, apparantly disgusted. The man stepped forward, raising his hands, when dozens of cherry bombs struch the ground, exploding their juice all over everything.

Trent's roots tore through the ground, snapping up and striking at the group. The man in the uniform and the girl dodged, but the tattooed man raised his hands, blocking the attack with some kind of spell. Trent's voice came from the backyard loud and clear. _"Run children! I shall hold them as long as I can!" _

Sephiroth and Vincent leapt into the fray, blocking the woman from reaching them. She spun her baton like a staff, fighting them off, but not gaining any ground. Bud, Lisa, and Emeralda ran for the path to Domina, dodging chunks of earth and stone flung erratically by Trent's roots, and explosions created by the sorcerer's fire.

The other man cried out "Don't let them get away!" before leaping into the air, just barely dodging a root snapping hard against the ground where he'd stood.

Something struck the ground at Lisa's feet, tripping her up. Bud spun, just in time to see Vandal land next to her, and snatch her up. He spun his spear, laughing and he dodged the attacks easily, before he leapt into the air and was gone.

"LISA! No, lemme go!" Bud snarled, pushing away from Emeralda. "LLLLLIIIIIIIISSSSAAAAA!!!!"

"C'mon!" Emeralda yelled, grabbing his arm and dragging him away.

"BOULDER DRUM!" he screamed, sending rocks flying towards the three strangers. "PUMPKIN HORDE! GOLDEN HARP! DARK FLUTE!" Everything he had flashed out towards his enemies. The sorcer raised one hand, and all of Bud's attacks disappeared. He laughed maniacally, sketching various symbols in the air with his hands. Bud was wrenched from the ground, and pulled towards him by an unseen force.

"No!" Emeralda cried.

__

"No!" Trent's voice echoed.

The man seized the boy out of the air, bared one of Bud's arms, and reached into a pocket. His hand emerged, dripping black with something, and he began scratching something onto Bud's arm with his fingernails. The little elf howled in pain.

Emeralda cried out, and fled.

The man continued laughing, his howling, mad laughter following her to Domina, alongisde Bud's screams.


	12. The Hokuten

Brilliance, A Legend of Mana Story

Chapter 11 -The Hokuten-

Vandal threw back the tent flap, and hissed at what he saw. Godhand sat completely nude, Kana rubbing oil into his shoulders. Only a small animal skin blanket covered his lap. Making a face, Vandal cleared his throat. "Your fanclub showed up."

"His home?" Godhand asked, not opening his eyes. He leaned harder into Kana's ministrations, as if there was terrible pain in his back and neck. She cooed something softly into his ear, but Vandal couldn't catch what it was.

"Well, funny story behind that . . . Apparently he has a big ass tree in his backyard, and some really violent pets which killed the fire demon and stopped the house from burning down completely. I destroyed his shop, and the barn is gone too."  
  
Godhand sighed. "An Ishu?"

"Just looked like a big ass tree to me. Want me to send them in, or not?"

"Not now, Godhand." Kana's voice became low, husky, breathless. Vandal would've killed to hear her use that tone with him. It was a bedtime voice, a promise of pleasure to come. And an open taunt. "Send them away, we have to hurry the resurrection. Let them continue our efforts, while you recover from the strain of leadership."

Godhand nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, go. Tell them to continue hunting that man and his allies. And give the grunts the retreat order."

The spear-carrier turned, and left the tent. There was muffled noise, and then Kana laughed, the sound of it making him flinch. Trying his best to ignore it, he looked around. "Everybody, pack up. Camp's moving in an hour. Only the Nanten are to remain."

"What about us?" The sorcerer hissed, sounding like he was literally drooling about the children they'd kidnapped. Vandal smirked. "You guys are to hunt done the guy that whupped Godhand."

The girl moved; it was extremely slight, barely sensed, but it was there. Vandal turned on her. "There a problem?"  
  
That fox-mask gave nothing away, and she turned on her heel, leaving the camp. The sorcerer looked back at her, and shook his head. "Nuance . . . She's a strange one. Lord Idogawa swears by her prowess, but I have to wonder."

"All I have to wonder is, why you're salivating over two kids, when you have a luscious piece of work like that walking around, who knows the most valuable rule a woman can learn: Keep your mouth shut." Vandal smirked at the sorcerer, and walked away.

The man scowled at his retreating back, before shaking his head. "You'll never get the chance to find out."

* * *

Riven paused at the crossroads, slipping his hands into his pockets. A brisk wind blew strongly from the north, a mere taste of the icy wether coming. His fingers brushed against the snow globe Cervantes had brought him. He pulled it out, looking at it. "I don't remember putting you in my pocket." He frowned at it, and moved to put it away, when it pulsed, energy crackling through his hand, forcing him to drop it in surprise.

The Artifact fell, and shattered on the ground, energy cascading out in all directions, picking him up and carrying him in its wake. It ran over him, quickly drowning him in sensation, sound and light. He fell, and drifted away.

__

-Snowy Globe-  
Temple of the Magic God

Riven awakened, groggy and numb, his ears still ringing from the snowglobe's explosion. He got to his feet, and immediately felt the wind tearing through him. He shivered, grabbing his hat and pulling it down hard over his ears. The snowy field he stood in was beautiful, but it was an emotionless beauty. Crystalle's Garden of Icicle Flowers held more warmth then this place.

"Literally too," he chattered out loud as he glanced around. He was standing in the center of a huge cemetary, snow piled up to his knees and getting deeper. He could see gravestones barely peeking out over the top of the snow, and almost nothing else through the swirling white. He shook himself, trying to get off some of the powder that'd collected on him while he was unconscious. Clumps clung to him, and when he scratched at them with his fingertips, he found they were extremely cold. The type of cold that burned.

Taking off his hat, he slapped it hard against his leg once and pulled it back on, free of debris. Then, after a deep breath, he started trudging forward. Of course, he didn't really have any clue if forward was where shelter lay, but he really never knew anything about the places that emerged from Artifacts. But usually, forward led him to where he needed to go.

He fought his way forward, until a shape managed to distinguish itself from the snow. A massive gray, flickering in and out of sight behind a veil of ice and sleet. Grinning, he fought forward harder, and ran smack into a wall. "Yowch!" Riven grabbed his nose. "Well, salvation is salvation," he thought out loud. He felt his way along the wall, slapping his hands together every time sensation started to leave them again. In no time at all he found stairs, and climbed up them. There was a slight awning, which offered little solace from the snowstorm, and he found a large set of double doors. Banging on them shamelessly, he blew on his hands between knocks.

The door opened, and a young woman looked out at him. She wore a simple black dress, and carried a feather duster in one hand. Her silver hair was tied back with a black bandanna. He smiled, teeth chattering. "Hi," he said.

"Oh dear," she whispered.

* * *

Escad stalked through the Underworld, shadows cringing from his rage. "Quit following me!" he snarled.  
  
A girl laughed, and continued skipping along behind him, mocking him shrilly. "Quit following me!"

"Stop it this instant!"

"Stop it this instant!" She cackled, throwing her head back with glee.

Finally fed up, he whirled around, and raised a hand threateningly. She danced away, hiding behind some rocks. "You're not any fun!" she yelled, sticking her tongue out and pulling down her lower eyelid. Escad made a comment crude enough to make her mouth drop open in astonishment, and continued on her way. She kept shadowing him, however, following him through the tricks and turns of the Underworld, until he finally whirled on her again.

"Where is Olbohn?!" he snarled.  
  
She laughed. "Nobody's seen Olbohn in days." Tossing her frazzled red hair with one hand, she flashed him a smile that was, despite her odd appearance, quite pretty. "He went, chasing the Shadoles when they flew away." She made a mock shape of a bird with her hands, flapping her fingers like wings.

"Hasn't been seen . . .?" Escad scowled. "What were those shapes then, if they weren't Shadoles? I saw them cowering in the darkness."

"People," she said. "They were hiding cause you're oh-so-scary!"

He scowled again, and turned away from her. "So what do I do now?" He flexed his arm, which had been returned to him on his death, and stared at it like an alien thing. Escad wasn't certain he could still use it. "What now?" he whispered.

The girl's arms wrapped around his throat, choking him. "Anything we want!" she laughed, dragging him backwards with her weight. He almost fell, but managed to pull away from her.

"Awww . . . I wanted a piggy-back ride," she said glumly.

Escad clenched his fist, but forced it back to his side. Instead, he kept his voice as cool as possible and said, "Leave me alone, woman."

She frowned. "God you're mean. I can see why no one likes you."

He arched an eyebrow, but she didn't explain. Instead, she started away. "In fact, you might as well just leave like most of the other's did. You don't seem the type to stay in the Underworld."

"What type?" He took a step after her, almost against his will. "What are you talking about?"

She spun in a circle, and waggled a finger at him. "Everybody who stays here is either afraid of living, or is afraid of the Nanten. Are you afraid, Holy Knight of Liotte?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," he snapped. She smiled knowingly at him, and he licked his lips. "You know what's happening down here . . ."

"You could say that," she said slowly. she snickered again, seemingly unable to help herself. She was like a hyena, laughing with every breath.

He cleared his throat. "Have you . . . have you seen Matilda?"

She raised a finger to her lips, and made a big show of thinking about her answer. Since he knew it was to rile him up, he kept a tight reign on his temper. When she finally noticed she wasn't going to piss him off, she sighed. "Yeah, I saw her. Talking to Irwin."

Escad flinched. "Irwin."  
  
"Yeah."

"And you know _Irwin_, I take it?"

She smiled, sensing she finally had his weak spot. "Yeah. I know him. I-"

"Can people die twice?" Escad asked quietly, the promise of such a death in his voice.

The woman stopped whatever she'd been about to say, and backed away slowly, giggling nervously "You can't find Matilda. Only Irwin can."

Escad smiled. "Then I'll have to find him." He turned his back on her, and started towards the surface. Pausing at the turn of a corridor, he glanced back. "What's your name, girl?"

She looked at him, eyes suddenly distrustful. "Jackal."

"I'll remember that." He started on his way again. As he continued on, the walls darkened, the eerie light inside them fading. A hollow and frightened voice called out to him from the darkness behind him.

"Stay away from the Nanten. No dead person can fight the Necromancer. Not out there . . ."

Escad turned, to look back, but couldn't see Jackal. He wondered at the odd warning, but finally shrugged, and left the Underworld.

* * *

The interior of the church was huge, but poorly lit, only a few candles towards the pulpit providing light. When he commented on it, the young woman apologized. "With so few parishioners, we don't have much use for candles."

He smiled broadly, trying to get past her shyness. "I'm glad you see the need for heat. And blankets." He flapped the end of his blanket at her. "Its pretty awful outside."

She nodded sadly. "The storm has been going on since . . . well . . . uh, would you like something to eat? There's not much, I'm afraid."  
  
Riven declined politely. "Are you a nun?"

She smiled shyly. "No, I'm just a caretaker. I watch this place for . . ." she drifted off, searching for the word, before pointing up lamely. Riven nodded, and looked around again. The building was made of some kind of black stone, in complete contrast to the pale color of the building's exterior. He would've said obsidian, but he didn't know whether it was possible to build with obsidian.

"Ah, if you'll excuse me, I have chores to attend . . ." she said after several moments of awkward silence.

"Would you like some help?" He started to stand. "Its the least I can do -"

"No, no, that's quite unnecessary." She excused herself, and went on her way, scurrying to the back like a frightened mouse.

With a heavy sigh, Riven shook his head. He made the caretaker nervous, but without any idea of why, he couldn't do anything to help it. Instead, he focused on the task at hand. He got to his feet, wrapping the blanket tightly about him like a cloak. He walked up the aisle, looking at everything in the church. There was little of note, except for the massive statue of a black-armored man, kneeling in prayer, a lance held lightly in one hand, and a softer statue behind it. The lines on the female were much less defined, as though to represent someone while pointing out that they didn't belong here.

The woman in the black dress appeared beside him, looking up at the statue admiringly. "That is the Magic God. He is the one this church was built for."  
  
"Magic . . . God?" Riven frowned, confused. "I thought . . ." He smiled nervously when he noticed her intense stare. "Well, I've only ever heard of the Mana Goddess."

"Mana Goddess?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

She wasn't nervous anymore, and quite obviously infatuated with her god, so Riven decided not to antagonize her. "Its nothing, forget I said anything. Who's that in the back?" He said loudly, pointing.

"That is the Goddess of Power. All that is physical flows from her. Strength, weapon skills, and such. But this place belongs to her brother." She lifted her hands, pressing fingertips to her forehead, then heart, and bowing deeply to the statue in front.

"I can't believe I've never heard of them . . ." Riven muttered, and jumped when he realized the woman was staring at him, mouth agape. She took in a breath, ready to denounce him as a blasphemer, when someone cleared his throat.

Both Riven and the woman turned to the back of the room.

"The twins are old gods . . . deities with no place in Fa'diel." The speaker moved forward, head bowed, so that his dark blue robe's hood covered his face mysteriously. He chuckled. "She wouldn't know it, but this artifact was sealed away for a long, long time. In order to keep them from ever returning."

Riven blinked, looking at the girl, who produced a massive spear out of nowhere.

"I know it." She snapped into a fighting position, black spear held ready. "And I am waiting for the return."

"You wait and serve," the newcomer chuckled. He ripped his robe off in one movement, sending it flying at her. She leapt into the air, calling upon a skill Riven had never seen before, and came down on the robe, point first. She gasped, suddenly realizing her target wasn't inside it, a second before his sword pierced her heart. She slumped to the ground, and he snatched his robe, sliding into it smoothly. The thin blade came back free of blood, and he slipped it into the sheath in his other hand, which appeared to be a cane. "Waited a second too long, there."

Riven drew his sword, and the man waved his hand dismissively. "Riven, are you that eager to fight me?"

"She gave me shelter, and - wait, how do you know my name? Answer me!"

The man drew back his hood, and Riven gawked, mouth working in silence. His old master nodded knowingly. "Yes, I am Saiga. Also known as Master Idogawa, of the Hokuten. I've sought you out Riven."

He lifted his cane, sword still tucked inside, but Riven flinched back anyway. "I've answered the call of the Nanten, and now, you must too."

He looked down at the body of the young woman. "You have a choice to make, my boy. Serve, or die. There is no other way out."


	13. Choices to Make

Brilliance, A Legend of Mana Story

Chapter 12 ~Choices to Make~

Nunuzac said nothing, refusing to even see her. Pearl tried to see Kathinja next, a tribute to her desperation that, since she'd never really met the woman. But Kathinja was out with her students picking over the vacant nest in Gato. no one quite knew where Mephianse was, or what he might be doing, but all were quite certain that he was too busy to speak to her.

Pearl sat on the steps, mind and body exhausted. For once, the voice that was Blackpearl said nothing, but it really didn't make her feel that much better. Frowning, she rested her chin on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs tightly. Elazul would be furious when she went back.

__

But I can't go back. Not fractured. I have to fix myself, somehow. Without help, she thought bleakly.

A mass of student's passed her, rushing up the stairs as though a monster was on their heels. 

She stood, peering down the steps, a hand over her eyes, trying to shield herself from the sun. A woman in bandages suddenly appeared next to her, causing her to jump. 

Looking down the steps thoughtfully, Thesenis said nothing until Mephianse appeared, supporting Kathinja on one arm. The formerly unflappable teacher looked pale ... paler then any woman with scales should be. Pearl could only stare in astonishment as they passed. Kathinja gripped Thesenis by her arm, pulling her close, and whispering fiercely.

"They're after the _children_."

Then her momentary fierceness was gone, and she was like a rag doll again, being pulled along by a weary Mephianse. He carried her up the stairs, into the building, and out of sight. Thesenis waited, taking a silent head count before looking at Pearl.

The young Jumi opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came. The woman was intimidating, and Pearl felt the old instinct in her rising up, screaming at her to shrink away. Roll over and let the bigger cat win.

Thesenis reached forward, slowly but certainly, and flicked Pearl's core with a finger. It shook her to the - pardon the pun - core, and she flashed into Blackpearl and back again. Clutching her chest, she backed away from Thesenis, no longer arguing with the ball of terror in her head.

Thesenis regarded her, her thoughts and expression completely masked by her bandages. Then she lifted her hand again, and crooked a finger. Pearl flinched involuntarily. The teacher turned away, and proceeded up the stairs, not looking back.

Pearl watched, knowing the woman wanted her to go with her.

__

She's a witch of reincarnation, Blackpearl mused.

__

And she can't be as scary as she looks. Pearl thought, starting to cheer up. _She's a professor at a school, after all._

Blackpearl didn't say anything, so Pearl put on the best smile she could manage - which was still shaky and nervous - and proceeded quickly up the steps.

*************

Cervantes looked around the yard cautiously, wincing every time Elleira took another breath to scream again. The grass was scorched, the house was gutted - as was the workshop and barn. All that was left was the corpse of the Trent in the orchard. From the battle scars on the ground and gouged into his trunk, Cervantes gathered that he had fought savagely in his final moments. He removed his hat, and bowed, honoring it as a warrior.

"They killed him," Elleira said again, "And ... and everything else is ... The children ..." She was too distraught to make a real sentence, and since there was no danger near, he allowed her to grieve.

He rubbed at his nose, though it wasn't the harsh smell of smoke that tickled it.

Cervantes had caught the stench of magic.

Fa'diel was not a land of magic, it was a land of Mana. Where he came from, the planet accepted magic. In a way, it could be said that magic was his world's lifeblood. But here ... Magic reeked of corruption, decay, and a terrible, terrible power. The world itself rejected it, and yet here it was.

Elleira was on her knees, roughly scrubbing at her eyes with her forearm. "I apologize for that, Cervantes."

He shook his head. "No apology necessary."

She sniffled, and got to her feet. Chewing on her lip, she strode back and forth across the lawn, peering carefully at everything. Finally, she looked up, and pointed. "Domina. We've gotta head to Domina."

Cervantes glanced down, trying to see where she had gleaned that particular bit of information. Seeing his gaze, she almost smiled.

"I don't see any tracks. We're going to speak with Meimei," she explained.

  
He arched an eyebrow, but didn't question. "Lead on."

She glanced back, touching her lips and holding that hand out in the direction of the orchard. "Goodbye Trent."

She left down the path, maybe for the last time.

*************

"Think very carefully my boy. Very carefully indeed." Saiga kicked the side of the woman, and she rolled over, dead eyes staring at Riven in an expression of frozen shock. His hand shook on the pommel of his sword as he debated whether he could defeat his old master. If the short display with the woman - who had obviously been well-trained - was any marker, he didn't feel his own chances were very good.

"You have no idea the trouble I've gone through," Saiga said, stepping over the body, "Trying to find you before Godhand."

"Is that right?" Riven asked, backing away at the same speed Saiga approached. "Well, I'm here. What do you want to talk about, pops? Killing nuns? Looks like you have a bit more experience with that."

"Smart ass," The old man smirked. "Since when did you become such a smart ass? Elleira was the one with the mouth on her."

"Well, y'know. Life teaches us all new things. Sarcasm, cuss words ... that our mentors are really in league with psychotic murderers."

  
Saiga sighed, and lowered his weapon. Confused, Riven let his sword tip drop as well. "I thought," his master said slowly, "that after raising you for all those years, that you would've learned to trust me. Do you really think I would align myself with someone monstrous for no good reason? Don't you know me better then that?"

Riven hesitated, wavering. Maybe he did. But he refused to let Godhand get away with trying to destroy the Jumi. And Saiga ... had just slain a woman who'd offered him food and shelter. He heart demanded something for her life. Riven lifted his eyes, and met his master's. They were cold. Deadly cold. Saiga was prepared to do whatever he felt necessary if Riven didn't ally himself to the cause, whatever that was. Decided, he raised his sword.

"I'll never let Godhand take the Jumi. I'll cut down every single Nanten, your Hokuten, Godhand, and you, Master. I have to do what I know is right."

Saiga nodded, for a second his face turned soft, and Riven felt a spark of hope that maybe there was a chance for him. Then the cane half of the swordcane came spinning though the air, and he barely deflected it, having raised his sword out of instinct alone. The thin blade of his master's weapon slashed quickly into his shirt, drawing blood.

No more words were exchanged between them after the first droplets hit the floor.


	14. Picking Up Strangers

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Thirteen -Picking Up Strangers-

"Lighten up babe!" Vandal laughed, clapping Sable hard on her back. "The jelly here says drinks are free! Don't you, jelly?"

The child that looked like Rachel bowed quickly, and backed away towards the bar. Vandal laughed, slapping his hands on the table. "I'm having the time of my life. What about you?"

"I ... I hate you ..." she whispered.

He laughed harder, nearly falling over backwards in his chair. "You're hardly the first woman to say that!" Wiping a tear from his eye, he got up, jumping onto the chair, and then onto the table. "Ladies and gentlemen, I shall now recite a poem."

"There once was a man from Polpota." He drew a spear from the sling at his waist, and drove it hard into the table. "He died! The end." 

He waited, then looked around at the empty room. "Tough crowd," he said.

"Hate ..." Sable growled, her voice growing stronger.

"Babe, you haven't touched your drink." Leaping from the table, he pressed his mouth to her ear conspiratorially. "C'mon, if you don't drink in a bar, people will think you're crazy."

The door opened, and an old couple entered, hesitating when they saw the two Nanten. Vandal eyed them suspiciously, then shivered. "Gods I hate old people."

"... Hate ..." Sable repeated, not looking up from the floor.

Vandal ripped his spear from the table, and sat down, twirling it from hand to hand, watching the old couple as they ordered a bottle from the girl behind the bar. He considered messing with them, but his heart wasn't in it. Hanging around Sable always dragged down his mood.

"C'mon babe, let's clear outta here. Might as well resume the hunt for those heroic little buggers."

Sable said nothing, but stood up fast, sending the chair skittering across the room. She turned and faced the old couple, scowling, before stalking out the door. Vandal shrugged and followed. "Put it on my tab, Jello." 

Elleira ripped the robe off and threw it aside. "Goddess I hate those Nanten!"

Cervantes removed his robe as well, folding it neatly and setting it on a table. "Well, now we know Domina isn't safe."

"Meimei must've cleared out ... where would she go?" Elleira spun a chair around, and sat in it backwards. "This whole thing is giving me a headache."

Cervantes chuckled, handing her the bottle. "This will clear that right up, and a number of other ailments as well."

"Knyjatekkan ... hehehe ..." She blushed, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "Must've ordered it out of habit."

"A whole bottle?" he asked teasingly.

"Hey, I can hold my liquor. If we had the time, I'd prove it to you." She winked, and passed the bottle back to him.

Cervantes chuckled, pulling a clip out of a coat pocket, and hooking the neck of the bottle to his belt. "Later then."

She smiled, and stood up. "My master would've berated me, said I had a problem or something."

"Hmm. Well, I've known people who wouldn't stop at a bottle, and their capacity for spirits was nearly inhuman. But it wasn't what killed him in the end, so perhaps I was wrong about him."

She nodded solemnly, and decided not to dig deeper. "Where to next?"

Cervantes scratched his chin thoughtfully. "We'll try Lumina."

"Lumina?" she frowned. "Any special reason? There's not much there."

"No reason. Its just closest, that's all." He glanced at their discarded robes. "Should we disguise ourselves again?"

"Nah. I'm getting bored of running around. I'm hoping to see a fight pretty soon."

She jumped to her feet with a loud 'Whoop!' and rushed the door. Cervantes stared after her for a moment, then chuckled. "You're a very odd girl, Elleira."

* * *

Meimei approached the man sitting in the corner, and cleared her throat. When he looked at her, she smiled flirtatiously, and bowed in a way that appeared polite, but showed of her cleavage to full effect. He didn't blink, or make any reaction she was used to, but she continued with her sales pitch anyway. "Hello there stranger. I don't suppose you need a fortune?" 

He turned back to his drink, and swirled it around thoughtfully. "Sure, why not."

"Okay!" she said excitedly. She closed her eyes, and began her familiar routine, but before even the first word came out, tremendous pain shot through her entire body. She fell forward, knocking over his table, and spilling his drink. He caught her before she hit the floor, however, and the pain faded nearly instantly.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She looked up at him weakly. "Actually, according to what I just saw, no. Buy me a drink, Escad?"

He smirked. "If you want. But its a funny way to pick up strangers."

* * *

Elazul woke shivering. His dreams had been filled with the bloody and terrible images, and his own feelings of helplessness. Awake, he was consumed by Pearl's identity crisis. All the Jumi had accepted both of her sides, but Pearl herself had been unable to. He'd seen her eyes get more and more desperate as she tended him, and there was nothing he could do. 

He'd spent so much time unconscious from his injuries, he had no idea when she had left. Or how to go about finding her. And he knew in his heart that this wasn't one of her typical distracted wanderings.

He fought himself into a sitting position, and gasped loudly, pain wracking through his sides and limbs. Godhand ... that murderous creature ... was powerful enough to take on and nearly destroy three of the strongest fighters in Fa'Diel. Even Riven had nearly died, and he was far and away stronger then anyone he'd ever seen, excepting Elleira. Warriors like the Nanten did not just appear. So where did they come from?

It reminded him of an argument he'd had with Elleira while she was drunk. She'd made a crack about recreating the world with imagination, and that all of their memories of the past were false. It seemed a ridiculous notion at the time, despite having seen the Mekiv Caverns appear completely out of nowhere. But that didn't mean _SHE_ had created the caverns ... did it?

He shook his head. If Godhand were from beyond the oceans, how did he get here? The Penguin Pirates admitted they could not go very far in their ships. They would pass a certain point, and end up back where they started. Godhand, and the Nanten had to have somehow found a way around that.

And they had access to powers unheard of in these lands.

Elazul got to his feet, hissing through clenched teeth, and looked out the doorway. There was no one outside. He shook his head again. Pearl had seemingly grown up after their adventures with Riven and Elleira, but perhaps she had not changed as much as he thought. Getting lost while "thinking" was one of her vices. A dangerous vice, to be sure, and pure hell on whoever was her guardian. He turned to look for his sword, before hearing a stick crack behind him. Elazul turned, cautiously; in his wounded state a Nanten soldier would cut him with little effort.

A young blonde boy knelt next to the fire, stoking it carefully, looking up for approval at another man, with dark skin and eyes that shone like prisms in full sunlight, despite the darkness that surrounded them. "Come and sit, if you're well enough. If not, I can wait," the child said.

Elazul frowned, because it was clear from the boy's face it was not him speaking the words. The rainbow-eyed man gestured at a log on the opposite side of the fire pit. He staggered out, trying not to reveal how hurt he was, before settling himself onto the log.

"I apologize for speaking to you through proxy ... I am aware it may be awkward for you, but I have no wish to drive you mad." The tone of the voice was so casual that it was hard to mistake the implied "Yet."

"What do you want?" Elazul asked. "Who are you?"

"My name is Khoval. I am the father of Sable."

When Elazul didn't react, both man and boy relaxed. He was taken aback, startled to realize the shiny-eyed stranger was ready to kill him if he'd recognized the name.

"My daughter was defeated in battle recently. I spoke to the man I entrusted her guardianship, and he said it was a lone swordsman. He spoke the name as well, but your mortal names seem nonsensical to me. You appear to be a lone swordsman, not too recently out of battle, so I assumed the worst."

"If she strongly resembles you, sir," Elazul said, "I'm certain I've never met her."

Khoval shook his hand dismissively. "She wears a cloth to hide her eyes. She is ashamed of her lineage." He looked away, frowning, and Elazul sensed more then a little guilt from the man. If, in fact, he was a man.

"Nevertheless, you have recently fought the Nanten, I gather?" Khoval said, startling the Jumi.

Elazul swallowed hard. "I've only fought one of them."

"That would be Godhand." Khoval, scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, Godhand's enemies are no matter of mine. I only barely approved allowing Sable to fight in his pet war. All I want is the man who injured my daughter."

"All's fair in war." Elazul winced. He hadn't meant to say that, hadn't even _thought_ to say it.

Khoval stood up, gesturing curtly for the serving boy to follow. "On the battlefield, perhaps. But never with my daughter."

* * *

Author's Note - With QuickEdit installed, I've had to make some alterations to the story. And while I'll miss my tildees around the chapter title and asterisks marking the POV change, I don't think it will influence the reader's flow. Now, excuse me while I go cry ....


	15. Just Because

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Fourteen -Just Because-

"Forgive me ..." Emeralda whimpered, bowing her head before the statue of the Mana Goddess. The church was mostly burnt out, as was much of Domina since the Nanten began sacking every home and building they came across. "I couldn't stop ... I wanted to help them, but I ..." her chest tightened, and she couldn't say the last word. _I ran away._

I killed them with my cowardice. Riven will ... no. It doesn't matter if Riven will love me, because I don't deserve it.

Rubens stayed off to one side, watching her back, while trying to remain inconspicuous. He didn't want to intrude, but the longer and louder she sobbed, the more danger they were in. He'd overheard the mercenaries talking about being given a retreat order, but many of them were still in the towns and cities. And at least one was still hunting the Jumi.

He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it, but after taking refuge in the Mekiv Caverns with several others, he'd gone to scout ahead. When the screaming started, he was too far away to help anyone.

Sandra had come. He had no idea how she'd managed it, but she'd cut through the Jumi with a fury. All that was left of some were their ashes. It was not her style, but it was her he'd seen stalking away, tucking the cores into a bag at her hip. What was she after? What could possibly have driven her so far?

One of the few still-standing hunks of wall crumbled nearby, and both Jumi jumped. Rubens lifted the stick he'd procured, wishing to the Goddess he had a sword. The wall was hollowed out where it had broken, and out fell a large ... cabbage?

Emeralda shrieked, before slapping her hands over her mouth loudly. Rubens lowered his makeshift-weapon, and approached the ... lettuce?

The Sproutling leapt up, dusting itself off, and glanced back and forth between the two Jumi, seeming to consider them carefully before saying "You can change the world with your imagination! Did you know that?"

Rubens studied it thoughtfully, before lifting his stick. "I'm going to kill it."

"No!" Emeralda gasped, grabbing the club away from him. "You can't He's harmless!"

"That thing will -"

He caught the echo of footsteps running up the path, and grabbed Emeralda, dragging her behind the wall where the Sproutling had hidden.

"That noise came from in here!" someone yelled. Glass crunched underfoot as they entered, and both stopped abruptly, speaking one word at the same time. "What?"

"We don't have souls you know." The Sproutling announced.

"... This thing is freaking me out," one of the soldiers said quietly.

"Let's ah ... let's back away slowly."

"Good idea - its coming right for us!"

"RUN AWAY!" Both men yelled, fleeing the building. Rubens stuck his head out, making certain they were gone before stepping out. When Emeralda emerged, she picked up the Sproutling and spun it around before placing a kiss on the end of its nose. "You saved us!" She smirked at Rubens. "And you wanted to kill him."

The Sproutling wandered off, blushing. Rubens shrugged. "What now?"

Emeralda folded her arms, staring out at the darkening sky. "Maybe ... Maybe we should go try and get some help."

"We tried that. Our city ended up getting destroyed, remember?"

She whirled on him, fists clutching her core as it flashed violently. "That wasn't the fault of the people that helped us!" Her eyes were filled with tears and something else ... something dangerous, daring him to say different. He lifted his hands in defeat.

"Who should we ask then?"

She frowned, lowering her gaze. "I ... I don't know." Turning away, he noticed her shivering. "I just don't know."

Rubens removed his scarf, and wrapped it around her shoulders before she could protest. "About the only person I know that could fight them is Riven."

Emeralda shook her head. "I can't face him. Not yet."

Deciding it would be better not to question, he continued. "Then maybe we should go somewhere. Somewhere where neither Sandra or the Nanten can't find us."

She looked at him, confused. "Where?"

He smiled. "The sea. We'll get on the Penguins ship when it makes berth."

She nodded. "I'll have to ... send a message to someone ... eventually." Fresh tears made her eyes sparkle brilliant green again. "I wish ... I wish I wasn't so cowardly."

Rubens had nothing to say to that, so he just put his arms around her, held her close, and made plans to get to Polpota Harbor.

Towards the back of the burned out church, the Sproutling said gravely "Stay away from the grave in Garinham."

* * *

In Rosiotti's jungle, Nuance lifted a large crate easily, pulling it off the Chocobo cart and setting it onto Rosiotti's throne. She gave her comrade the 'ok' symbol, and he reported to Godhand.

"Fantastic, Pierce." Godhand smiled, lifting his hands, and turning in a circle. "Can you imagine it, sorcerer? Its here. The Mana Fortress is here, somewhere."

"I couldn't possibly imagine," Pierce said sulkily. "This forest is too small to house the Fortress of legend."

Godhand shook his head. "Mages. You're too cynical. Its here, somewhere, or else my hands would not be so filled with energy." He held two fingers close, as though to pinch something out of the air, and energy crackled between them like electricity. "So much power here, hidden underneath that fat old Wisdom's ass."

"I need to get back to the children. I want the power latent within them."

Godhand turned, finally broken out of his amusement. He lifted a hand, and Pierce fell to his knees. "Speak truth, or my power will tear you apart. Why do you want the children?"

"I ... wish to use their power ..." he gasped, clutching at his chest. "I planned ... to kill you ... and steal your hands ...!"

"Oh, is that all." Godhand laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the forest. "I thought you were molesting them!" He clapped Pierce on his back, sending him sprawling.

"You ... you're not ... angry?" Pierce asked, stunned.

The Nanten's leader shook his head. "Hardly. you're not the first to plan my death. Vandal been plotting against me for years. Sable tries almost every week." He laughed again. "Besides, right now, I'm too happy. Go play with your toys. I'll fight you when you wish, on your terms. I have no fear of your magics."

Pierce got up and stumbled away. Nuance approached Godhand carefully, keeping two yards of distance between them at all times. He blinked, distracted from his reverie again. "What do you want?"

She gestured at the sky, the massive shadow descending from above the clouds. "That's Lucemia. Nothing to worry about, Kana has it under control." Nuance pointed again, this time at the bushes on the far side of the clearing. Godhand frowned, glancing up, and then where she was pointing. "This would work much better if you could speak."

There was a loud snap, and then a tree flew towards them, spinning like a boomerang. nuance leapt over it nimbly, and Godhand lifted a hand. The tree broke in two after striking his palm, the two ends spinning off in opposite directions into the jungle. Godhand lowered his hand, and scowled. "Oh. You meant Lucemia's master was in the bushes."

Irwin burst out of the brush, landing on all fours, growling. "Where is she?!"

Godhand glanced up, seeing Nuance perched in a nearby tree, watching impassively. Or at least, he thought she was impassive, The mask left much to the imagination. "I'm afraid my friend, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Matilda!" Irwin snarled. "I tracked her here. What have you done with her?!"

"The Wisdom?" Godhand smirked. "I see. The demon has a crush. How cute. Well, I regret to inform you that Matilda, like your Lucemia, is mine now." He lifted his hands and cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Unless of course, you'd like to take her from me?"

* * *

_EDITOR'S NOTE:_ The "Grave in Garinham" thing is a joke. You won't be seeing any locales or characters from Dragon Warrior in this fic. I added it "Just Because": Sproutlings say random, bizarre things, and I thought it was funny. =P 


	16. The Brilliance of Pearl, Part One

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Fifteen The Brilliance of Pearl, Part One

When Thesenis pushed her from the office, Pearl held an overflowing bag of tools. The woman had stuffed it, shoved it into her arms, and tossed her out without ever speaking a word, so Pearl had no idea what she was supposed to do.

Maybe ... maybe she thought I was a delivery girl ... the Jumi thought sadly. _I guess I should just set this down somewhere._ She glanced around, wondering if it would be safe in the hall. As she bent over, a piece of paper slipped out, floating gently to the floor. With a heavy sigh, she took it, and started to stuff it back into the bag. It was a matter of chance that she caught one of the words.

... Leires ...

Stunned, Pearl set the bag down quickly, and read the letter from the beginning.

Whether or not you realize it, your particular condition has been one of major discussion amongst the faculty here. I owe a personal favor to your friend Riven, and I will seek to repay it.... possibly for the rest of my life. After extensive research, I have set Thesenis upon the task to cure your condition. As much as I hate to say this about a teacher under my employ, avoid Nunuzac.   
He is not to be trusted.

Return to Leires, and begin your preparations.

Mephianse

Pearl scanned further down the page, and realized they were instructions. Instructions for repairing her core. Flipping to the next page, she discovered there were actually two sets of separate directions, one describing how to 'salvage the Pearl persona', as it was described, and the other how to 'salvage Blackpearl'.

Pearl wanted to cry badly, but she didn't dare. One of her personality's would die if she went through with this.

But ... this isn't what we wanted, Blackpearl whispered. _At least ... not like this._

I need to help our people. They need you now Blackpearl. They need a warrior that can fight the Nanten. Pearl took a steadying breath, and picked up the bag, slipping the straps over her shoulders. _I need someone that can help Riven._

It was not too far to the Tower of Leires.

Or rather, it wasn't far enough.

* * *

Sandra held a core in her hand, and like every time before, it made her feel good. And sick. But she held onto it anyway, hoping against hope that the power within it would reach through and kill her.

Godhand would never keep his promise. She knew it, but it was the only choice she had. She couldn't kill him. He was too powerful. There was no one she could turn to, because once they learned that she had killed again, they wouldn't trust her, or believe that he had Florina.

She'd followed him one night, before the camp had broken up, to the tent where they kept her prisoner. She hadn't realized he'd known she was there, and he made a show of hurting Florina to draw her out. When Sandra tried to fight, he'd put her into the dirt.

As she lay there, face pressed into the ground by Godhand's boot, he told Florina the names of the Jumi she'd killed already. Florina had listened silently, stoically, but Sandra had cried. Defeat, and shame at how she'd sold out everyone made her tears fall, wasted in the dirt.

Florina could never love her anymore.

Sandra reached into her pocket, and drew a card. "Ace's high." She glanced down from her perch, and saw Pearl walking down the street. It was dark, and the streets were empty. Elazul was nowhere in sight. It would be so easy to take her. Her hand tightened on the diamond core she already held, and she nearly threw up.

The more cores she brought Godhand, the longer she would have to plan his death. She'd spaced them out, giving them to him one at a time. He never seemed displeased. Sandra stepped to the edge, and prepared to leap.

Someone crashed into her from behind, and they fell. The rooftops in Geo were notorious among thieves for being death-defyingly high. Her head snapped back as a clothesline caught her in the chin, but she caught the next one and halted her fall. Pulling herself up, she balanced precariously on the thin rope, looking below for her attacker.

The other woman caught a rope in the same manner she had, but her momentum caused the rope to bend, and then snap upwards, the slingshot effect bringing her up to Sandra's level. She landed lightly on the rope, without a hint of effort.  
  
Sandra smiled weakly. "I don't suppose you're just a thief with a inferiority complex?" She reached into her pocket and withdrew a half-dozen cards.

The other woman reached behind her, and pulled out a flail. She spun it, and began inching towards Sandra. "No. But you're not a thief either." As she moved out of the shadows, Sandra saw that her attacker was a cat-girl. She looked familiar, and it only took Sandra a moment to place her.

"You're a murderer," Daena snarled, and lunged. Sandra quickly flung her handful of cards, but the girl twisted in midair, bouncing off an adjacent clothesline, and flying right for her. She crashed into Sandra again, and they hit the wall behind her. Daena caught another rope, and pulled herself up.

Sandra threw her grappling hook, managing to catch a windowsill. The arc of her swing brought her up again, and she just barely landed on the same rope Daena was on. The rope swayed dangerously, and Sandra almost fell, but the cat-girl didn't even look fazed.

"You're running out of tricks, murderer," Daena said.

"How are you doing that?!" Sandra snapped.

"Cat-like reflexes, duh." Daena lifted her flail, and her tail twitched behind her. "I'm putting an end to you tonight."

"I'm doing what I have to do." Sandra pulled on her grapple's rope, and it loosened. She flung another card she'd concealed in the palm of her hand, and it cut through the rope Daena stood on. The cat-girl leapt for the jewel thief, grabbing the rope she held onto, but Sandra cut it, and leapt backwards onto a windowsill.

Her enemy fell with a unladylike curse, and Sandra tossed her hair dramatically. "... I'd make a joke about kittens, but I'm just not up to it right now," she said, before disappearing into the building.

Daena turned over, landing on all fours. She scowled upwards, and then scanned the street quickly. Pearl was gone. Dropping back to the ground, she sniffed around quickly, before taking off, following Pearl's scent.

* * *

"Be careful with that, you buffoons!" Pierce slapped the zombie, which just turned and looked at him stupidly. He rolled his eyes, and grabbed Irwin, shoving him onto the table. "This is an insult," he snarled. "That bitch Kana, giving me these stupid monsters ... How am I supposed to work with these?!"

"Actually .... they are on the same level as you. I figure it should be simple."

Pierce whirled on the speaker, glaring furiously. Khoval patted the boy who spoke for him on the head, and the child purred softly before stepping aside. Khoval entered, and Pierce back off quickly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for my daughter." Khoval glanced around the room, noting Bud and Lisa in cages hung from the ceiling. His eyes finally settled on Irwin. "Why is the Faerie's lord here? You want them to hunt you down?"

"He attacked Godhand, and Godhand gave him to me," Pierce said defensively.  
  
"Whatever." Khoval rolled his eyes. "I want to know why Sable is not here. Godhand has no answer. He seemed surprised to learn she was not."

"That doesn't matter." Saiga entered, carrying a young man slung over his shoulder. He dropped him on the table, across Irwin's prone form. "You are both to watch after the boy. You'll have to chain him down of course - but Godhand is not to touch him." 

Saiga started out, and then paused, glancing back at them. Both were scowling at him dangerously. "What?"

"I have work to do," Pierce said, at the same moment Khoval said, "Sable is all that matters."

"Do it," Saiga reiterated. "I forged the Hokuten, and neither of you have the strength to fight me for leadership. Not even together." Saiga turned, and stalked out of the shack.

Pierce turned his attention to the boy. "This is the man that fought Godhand?"

"One of them." Khoval snorted loudly. "I can't believe this boy gave Godhand so much trouble."

"I can't believe Saiga trained him...and expects us to babysit him."

Khoval examined the boy thoughtfully, before shrugging. "Saiga needs him for something. But for what? His children are at the center of whatever he and Godhand are planning ... I _know_ it."

The sorcerer ignored him, digging in his pockets and producing a bottle of dark ink. Lifting his left hand, he dipped the points of his long, sharpened nails into the liquid. He then began writing on Riven's forearm, fingers etching designs in a fluid motion somewhat reminiscent to an instrument being played.

The symbols glowed darkly, and Pierce nodded, capping his bottle and replacing it in his pocket. Khoval arched an eyebrow, but Pierce only smiled, and tapped the side of his head.

* * *

"We're lost." Elleira reached up, tugging unconsciously on her hair, and not even noticing she did it, though it looked as if she was about to tear it out. "I've never gotten lost before..." she glanced at Cervantes, who was looking at her archly.

"I've never gotten lost on the way to Lumina before!" she said loudly, before starting to walk again, angrily heading back the way they'd came.  
  
Cervantes cleared his throat, and when she looked at him, he pointed. "Lumina is over the crest of that hill."

She frowned, and started in that direction. Once more she stopped abruptly, slowly turning and looking about.

"Soldiers," she said.

"And lots of them," Cervantes agreed. "Should we hide or fight?"

Elleira took off running, not answering him. He followed quickly, sighing when she dropped to her belly and crested the hill by crawling. "The troops are moving out ...that looks like the main force of the Nanten. The guys we saw at the Jumi's city."

Cervantes knelt down beside her, studying the marching group carefully. "It looks like they're headed out of these lands. But I don't see any of the commanding officers with them."

"The Nanten Seven ..." she thought for a moment, then said, "Six, rather."

"None of them are dead, either." Cervantes scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Did they put the zombies to sleep, and send the soldiers home?"

"Maybe." Elleira crawled back, and got to her feet, dusting herself off carefully. "I don't care, so long as I never have to cut through an army ever again. I prefer fighting one-on-one."

The old man seated himself, and yawned, covering his mouth with a fist. Elleira smirked, and sat down next to him. "You know," she began, "this has been a lot of fun."  
  
He arched an eyebrow, making her laugh.

"I don't get to run around very much anymore, trying to save the day. Not since the whole ..." She trailed off. Resting her chin on her knees, Elleira stared off at the horizon. "I have a bad feeling. Everything I know is falling apart."

Cervantes nodded grimly. "These warriors are breaking the rules of your land. Its not surprising that it would seem everything was out of sync."

"The rules of my land?" She lifted her head, staring at him in confusion. "What're you talking about?"

"Their techniques, their tactics ... their magic ... they're from a different place. Someplace much different then Fa'diel." Cervantes leaned back, pulling his hat over his eyes. "Fa'diel was set aside, in a sense. Life at its purest state. These men are corrupting it. Mana is the force that breathes life into all. Magic is the manipulation of the universe to empower oneself. Fa'diel was never meant to know the bitter taste of that power."  
  
Elleira chewed on her lower lip for a moment, watching her companion. Finally, enough silence went by that Cervantes lifted the brim of his hat with a thumb. "Something the matter?"

Elleira shook her head. "Everything you just said makes absolutely no sense. But since nothing has made sense lately, it makes sense. In a nonsensical sense."

Cervantes couldn't help laughing, and she smiled broadly, jumping to her feet and dusting off her skirt. "Come on gramps."  
  
"Gramps?" Cervantes asked.

"Yeah. Despite you being a priest, 'Father' doesn't fit you at all." Elleira took off running, and Cervantes got up quickly to follow her.

Without sound, without being noticed, the Deathbringer stood upon the hill where they had just rested. Empty eyes followed them as they moved away. A harsh wind blew, but it could not touch him. He brought up his right hand, closing it into a raised fist, and the soldiers marching down the road behind him halted instantly.

He held out that hand, and extended one finger. Pointing at Elleira's back.

The army of dismissed Nanten raised a cheer for their new leader.

And in Godhand's camp, Kana set down the crystal sphere she used to watch the Deathbringer. He would prove both his loyalty to her, and justify his namesake by killing the girl. And that would also give Kana her vengeance.

Beside her, the shroud - under which were her dead brother remains - stirred. Kana sang a soft lullaby, like she had when they were younger, and once again it was still.


	17. The Brilliance of Pearl, Part Two

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Sixteen -The Brilliance of Pearl, Part Two-

Daena stood, glaring around the road, panicking. "Where did she go?" she cried. Pearl had simply disappeared, both the girl's scent and her tracks fading inexplicably. She searched the road carefully, but there were no signs of struggle. Glancing back towards Geo, scratching behind her ear with her flail. "No signs of a struggle. Sandra didn't catch her. Did she use some kind of crazy Jumi power?" She had no way of knowing... All she knew about Jumi was what Elleira and Riven had told her from their own experiences.

The cat-girl backtracked, going over the tracks carefully. She couldn't tell where she'd lost track of Pearl ... the tracks had faded far too fast. But that didn't explain why her scent was missing. Hissing in frustration, Daena stood, and scratched her head furiously. "This is driving me insane!"

Her ears twitched with frustration. But where did she go from here? She could go try and find Riven ... or she could hunt the Jewel Thief. Daena took one last glance around the road. It stretched onwards to the horizon in both directions, stray winds spilling clouds of dust into the air. Only a few ragged bushes dotted the sides of the roads...there was no way anyone could conceal themselves.

She turned back towards Geo, and began running towards the city. She could try tracking Sandra, but it would prove almost as difficult as following Pearl-

She slammed into a wall, the force flinging her backwards. When she hit the ground, she rolled immediately, grabbing her injured nose and hissing furiously. There was no wall, no barrier that she could see. What had she hit. Reaching behind her, she unhooked her flails from her belt. Pain traveled up her arm, causing her to shriek and convulse in agony, dropping her weapon and falling to the ground.

She remained facedown for several seconds, not able to force herself to breathe. When the shock of the blast had worn off, she coughed harshly, and twisted her head, trying to see who was attacking her. She saw him, and gasped. Trying desperately to stand, she realized he couldn't.

"You ... you bastard!" Daena snarled weakly. She fought with her rage, managing to get back unsteadily into a half-crouch. Her eyes caught sight of her flail, and she considered making a jump for it, but knew her attacker would kill her. She had one chance.

With a feral hiss, she flung herself at her enemy, claws bared. Black light enveloped her, and all was dark.

* * *

"Time to go, Knight."

Elazul was startled out of his dream, and his hands instinctively clenched around his sword. Sierra was leaning against the doorway, scratching at her ear with a dagger. "Awake yet?"

Embarrassed, he set down the blade. "How are things outside the woods?"

"Bad." Sierra dropped to a crouch in front of his makeshift bed. "Godhand cut his mercenaries loose, so they're rampaging across the countryside, looting everything. Elleira and Riven are missing. That tree house of theirs was burned down, and there are signs of a struggle." She looked away for a moment. "I was too late."

Elazul pulled off his blanket, and got to his feet. After stretching his arms, he smiled briefly. "Back in shape," he said. "Let's go find them."

Sierra stood, still not looking at him. "I have a request."

Elazul frowned, studying her carefully. "You know I owe you for allowing me to recuperate here. What do you need?"

"Your sword." Sierra turned towards him, her tone grim. "I know where they're keeping the dragons. I need help if I'm going to free them."

The Knight of Lapis Lazuli only took a moment to consider his options. "I'll do it. I owe you, and at any rate, we might as well help those we can..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish with "Instead of those we can't", but not knowing what else to say. Riven and Elleira were more then capable fighters...they'd have to fend for themselves for now.

* * *

Escad hissed in frustration, and ducked back behind the wall. Raucous laughter echoed through the narrow streets, as well as the sounds breaking glass and clanking armor. It was getting increasingly difficult to move around, especially since Meimei insisted on carrying her fruit basket on her back.

"So how bad is it?" she asked softly.

"You're the psychic," Escad snapped, "you tell me."

She hesitated only a moment before smirking, moving to step out of the alley. Escad grabbed her, dragging her back quickly. "Are you crazy?" he asked, shaking her.

Brushing him off playfully, she stepped into the light with a wink. "Trust me."

Escad was about to drag her back again, but it was already too late. "Hey hey!" someone shouted, followed by a series of whistles and catcalls. The sound of footfalls rang heavily in his ears, as he also stepped out into the light, putting himself between the fortuneteller and the approaching soldiers.

It was a group of about eight men, and while not wearing any armor, they still carried their swords. "What's this now?" someone shouted.

"The girl is taken, friends." Escad raised his hands. "I don't want this to get messy."

The group laughed, and started drawing their weapons. Escad reached for his sword...and realized it wasn't there. He had lost it when he...He shook his head. Images of his violent death at the hands of a nude, black archer with the glowing eyes flickered in and out, disorienting him. The soldiers started forward, and all Escad could do was back away.

"Now now...that isn't very sporting."

The men turned, and one of them swore, loudly. An old man stood behind them, a pair of beautiful girls at his sides. Twins, except for the color of their hair, and the colors of their eyes. One had bright red hair and big red eyes...the other had blue hair and blue eyes. Both of them were staring ahead as though looking past everyone assembled.

"We don't want any trouble," the soldier who'd spoken before stated.

"Now that's just not true," the old man scoffed. "You just don't want trouble from _us_. Those two you're perfectly willing to attack, even if the young man is unarmed."

"She wanted us to come get her!" the soldier protested. "She came out of the alley, slinking about like a -"

"I was not!" Meimei shouted. "And besides," she continued in a quieter voice, "I only did it because I knew Master Saiga would witness it and rescue us."

"Hmm?" Saiga asked. "Have we met?"

"Once sir. A long time ago." Meimei bowed respectfully. Still bent over, she slapped Escad, who stiffly bowed as well.

Saiga's eyes flicked back and forth between them, and Escad took the moment to size him up. He was old, the thin, short gray hair and dark lines around his dark blue eyes showed that. He held a cane, but didn't hold it as though he needed its support. The black vest he wore exposed his arms, which were long and thin...the definition of muscles not quite faded away. _A swordsman, _Escad realized. _Then that cane must be where he hides his blade. That's a fencer's weapon, not a true warrior's sword._

He let his own eyes wander, and saw that the soldiers had made a similar judgement. They spread out, ignoring Escad and preparing to take on Saiga.

"We don't take orders from you guys anymore...though we'll still take your money. And your ladyfriends," the lead soldier said with a sneer.

"I recognize you now," Saiga said, completely ignoring the attempt to intimidate him. "You're a fortuneteller."

Meimei began to smile, but then froze. "Escad, we need to run."

"You can tell me where Elleira is," Saiga said, starting to unscrew the head of his cane. He drew the sword slowly, eyes still fixed on Meimei, and so was not prepared for the attack.

He did not need to be.

The twins stepped in front of him, reaching out with both hands, and the men who were lunging touched them. Some started shrieking insanely, dropping their swords and shaking as though they had been struck by lightning. Some started gasping, dropping to the ground, and twitching in spasms. Two men had hung back, not part of the initial rush, and they dropped their weapons and ran blindly. The girls stepped back, and Saiga stepped forward, carefully picking out a path over the bodies.

"You can tell me where Elleira is," Saiga repeated. "And you shall."

* * *

Blackpearl pushed open the door and stepped inside Leires again. Staring ahead, she couldn't help but notice her heart beating... _I've made up my mind,_ she thought, _I'll not get squeamish now._

She took a step forward, then paused, looking backwards, her hand on her hammer. out of there."

A Sproutling appeared from just past the edge of the door, and did a happy dance. "You found me!"

"What are you doing here? Are you following me?" Blackpearl said, letting go of her weapon. She couldn't say she was fond of Sproutlings, but she didn't hate them, like many others did. They were just too odd.

"The cow isn't anywhere...he's in my mind," the Sproutling announced pleasantly.

Blackpearl shook her head, and started heading into the tower. "Whatever. If you're coming, you'd better hurry." She paused, then said "Here," and tossed it the pack of magical implements she'd been given in Geo. The Sproutling started rummaging through the pack.

__

_What are you doing?!_ Pearl cried.

__

_If he's going to tag along, he can work. And besides...I need my hands free to fight the wandering monsters,_ Blackpearl thought back.

The Sproutling closed up the pack, and lifted it onto its head, bouncing up and down to keep it in place. "You have the workings for a great spell here," he said.

With a shrug, Blackpearl gestured for the Sproutling to follow. "Don't drop that; I need it."

"You can change the world with your imagination!" the Sproutling said.

"...And don't talk to me anymore."


	18. The Brilliance of Pearl, Part Three

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Seventeen -The Tower of Liars- (The Brilliance of Pearl, Part Three)

Pearl stood before the final door, feeling her heart in her throat. There was so much...so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to do. Stepping through the door, and completing the spell would end her life. Would end...her.

She glanced at the stairs, watching the Sproutling stumble comically over itself, rolling across the floor. It stood, dusted itself off, and carefully checked the contents of the bag, before grinning at her. "Its okay," it said, and that was all. Strangely, she felt comforted. Blackpearl however, was not.

__

Oddly lucid_ for a Sproutling. He was rambling like a soft-headed idiot before._

Pearl wasn't listening. She felt so calm...the Sproutling was right, after all. It was okay. After she did the spell, everything would be okay. Everyone would be saved...

__

Something's wrong. We need to wait a moment...Pearl?

Blackpearl's voice in the back of her mind faded to a distant, unpleasant whisper. But it didn't matter. Pearl smiled dreamily, and put her hands on the door.

It was okay.

She pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

Everything was finally okay.

Pearl/Blackpearl set one hand on her hammer, and one clutched her core. Kneeling in the center of the room, in the center of a magic circle. The scented candles, and the burning mixture in the dish she had mixed was supposed to lessen the pain, and keep her from dying when she removed it. To heal the fracture, she needed to be free of it. With a grimace of pain, she started to pull.

They both shrieked in one voice, blood and power running out over her hands. They fell forward, and her hand loosened. But images came rushing forward, urging her on. Images of the Nanten leader breaking Etansel's gates with a bare tap of his hand, the brave Onion Knights who fell defending them...Riven and Elleira and Elazul all fighting for their lives.

She tightened her grip, and clenched her teeth, and pulled the core free with a cry of agony and desperation. Then they lost their strength, and she swooned, collapsing. The core rolled across in front of her eyes, and Blackpearl/Pearl realized they were going to die.

The Sproutling appeared in her line of vision, and the core floated gently into the air before it. "This...this will do nicely. Well done...you whimpering clod."

The Sproutling changed, shifted, and its illusion fell away. Nunuzac chuckled darkly, the sound causing his glass body to rattle.

"Y-you..." they whispered, reaching out. "Thesenis..."

"I switched bags when you weren't looking. I also took care of a little guest that was trying to track you down. Y'know...I actually feared that Gato kitten would kill our other guest before she arrived."

They were blacking out, unable to understand what the man trapped inside the mirror was saying.

"But it doesn't matter now," he continued, oblivious to the fact that she were dying, "You wanted to help save Fa'diel, correct? And you have. With this stone, I can summon the Freymold. The great Wyrm...I burned that old shell of a Wisdom's jungle once...I can do it again." The mirror shivered, the colors it reflected changing too quickly to make any sense of. "If it means the Mana Fortress is destroyed, then I can."

Pearl fell back and away, into the recesses of her mind, unable to hang on any longer. Blackpearl's persona surged to the forefront of their consciousness, and her hand clutched her hammer tightly. "I'll kill you..." she swore, fighting to her knees.

The sorcerer turned, refracting candlelight throughout the room. "Am I supposed to be afraid? You can't stop me. Not...without...this." The core floated forward, and suddenly Blackpearl was wracked with pain. She howled in agony, and dropped her weapon. She was lifted into the air by his dark magic, unable to even flinch as he lashed her with his power.

"You're a useless clod of dirt! A clump of mud, whose only purpose is to serve as a walking carrying case for these...these!" The core hovered, flicking towards her briefly, spattering her face with her own blood. "These ultimate tools for magic! You serve to guard the cores, which hold the last vestiges of true magic in this world." Nunuzac flung her away, and she slammed against the wall. "I am stunned that your determination brought you this far. I think I'll have to put you in my garden when I'm finally finished with you!" the mirror man cackled. "You'll fertilize some very hearty vegetables!"

Her core flashed, and the circle she'd drawn began to burn. "Freymold! Wyrm of Fire! Come forth! Your master summons you!" Nunuzac chanted. The flames flickered, black to white, without any sense of transition or the slightest hint of red. Unnatural fires...unnatural as the Wyrms themselves.

Years had passed since the great war...when Nunuzac had last summoned Freymold. But surely, if Irwin -and now the Nanten- could resurrect Lucemia, a sorcerer of Nunuzac's power could cause another to be reborn. Blackpearl stared on in horror as a massive snakehead, formed from liquid fire started to rise from the center of the circle. It was enormous...probably as big as Lucemia. The room was impossibly hot...she'd burn to ashes if he completed the summoning.

The world would burn.

Nunuzac paused, turning towards the door. "You can't stop me, Sandra. You can't enter this circle. You can't stop me.'

His answer was a masculine chuckle, which took even the mirror-bound sorcerer off-guard. The young man at the door pushed up his glasses with a smile. "True, true..." Alexander nodded, and lifted a large hammer. "At least, if that's what I was going to do, it would be." He flung the hammer into the circle, straight at Nunuzac.

He screamed, and then a loud crack reverberated through the room. Black lightning burst from his body, wracking the Wyrm with power. It screamed, and began to retreat into the ground. Blackpearl was suddenly freed, and she lunged forward, not giving herself a chance to think about it. She caught the hammer and brought it up and around in one smooth motion. The demon belched flame, enveloping her completely, but she burst through it and brought the hammer down on its face.

Nunuzac was still screaming, and she raised the hammer again, swinging it as hard she could, not stopping until she had silenced him. Blackpearl fell to her knees, trying to breath. She hurt. She was horribly burnt, and her core was gone; she could feel her soul escaping.

Glass crunched loudly underfoot as Alex entered the circle. He reached down, fingers brushing against Pearl's core, and changed. His change was violent, not a quick flash of light as she'd seen before, in Etansel. Sandra fell to her knees as well, clutching the core with everything she had. Seeing the expression on Blackpearl's face, she smiled weakly.

"We're a lot alike, you and I. Only I can't ever be free of my other half." Her eyes lowered, a flush of shame turning her face red. "I envy your strength. No one else in our entire race could've fought as hard as you did. You want to save the world..." It was then that Sandra looked up, eyes shining. "But all I want is to save Florina. I'm her Knight...I won't let them kill her."

"You love her..." Blackpearl whispered.

"I...I..." Sandra squeezed her eyes shut and forced a smile, tears slipping despite her effort.

Pearl took the hammer, and brought it up between them, bashing Sandra in the chest, squarely on her core. Unable to even cry out, Sandra slumped forward wordlessly; falling into Pearl's arms. Sandra lifted her hands weakly, pushing Blackpearl's core back into Pearl's chest. The Jewel Thief cried freely, and she wiped at her eyes weakly, before she brought her fingertips to her mouth.

Before Pearl could react, Sandra leaned forward, kissing her. Pearl felt herself healing, the burns fading, even the wound around her core. Sandra slumped forward, collapsing into her arms with a sigh. For several moments, Pearl didn't know what to do. Then her core pulsed, and she realized what had happened. This core was black. Sandra had reversed her core.

She couldn't feel Blackpearl in her mind. She couldn't feel Pearl. Was she Pearl, or Blackpearl? Or someone else? Her head swam, but she realized she had been saved. Carefully laying the Jewel Thief to one side, she then got to her feet a bit unsteadily.

Pearl stumbled towards the door, then hesitated, looking back. The hammer Sandra had brought. She picked it up, turning it over in her hands carefully. There was a word on it: Lasdanac.

The name of the Holy Knight who had defeated Freymold. She held it reverently in both hands, and headed for the door.


	19. Niccolo's Business Unusual

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story  
Chapter Seventeen -Niccolo's Business Unusual-

Escad raised his fist, uncertain how he was going to fight the man. Between him, and the women who apparently couldn't be touched, and protecting the fortuneteller, it was very likely he'd die. Saiga was advancing, lifting his sword into a fighting stance, eyes cold.

He didn't need Escad...so the Holy Knight of Liotte was just in the way.

Escad went to meet him head on, when he was hauled backwards. Meimei had grabbed his shoulder, and was trying desperately to drag him away. He shrugged free, and charged. Something slid between him and the warrior, catching both of them by surprise. Saiga and Escad stared at it for a second, confused. A large pink box, with a little red bow nestled neatly atop it. The two men only had that brief moment for realization, before it exploded, flinging them backwards, down opposite sides of the street.

There was a second where Escad couldn't feel anything, and couldn't see or hear. The glare left his eyes, though the ringing remained. He was vaguely aware that the ground was a lot softer then it should be. Soft, and lumpy. He was jostled abruptly, and he fell onto his side. He found himself staring at Meimei, who coughed delicately, dusting herself off.

"You landed right on me, you big thug!" she exclaimed, poking him hard in the chest. "I tried to warn you, but nnnooooo." Throwing her hands up and getting to her feet, she mumbled continuously about men, even as she bent over to brush off her legs.

Escad flushed red and quickly hid his eyes. From his perspective, he had a thorough look down the front of her blouse. "Meimei..."

"Don't you start!" she snapped. "Get up off the ground, we've got like three seconds before he gets his wind back- KYAAAAAAA!" she ended her sentence with a shriek, grabbing her head.

Escad had tried to tell her that sometime between the explosion and finding himself on top of her, her grapes had come loose. He hadn't realized it was a wig, and had even found it attractive, in an exotic sense...but staring at her now, disheveled, upset, and not adorned with grapes...he realized she was gorgeous. Her real hair was short and somewhat boyish; she tried to cover her head with a hand while waving at the smoke wafting about them.

"My wig, my grapes!" she yelped, before shoving him roughly, and getting quickly to her knees. She cast around fitfully, on the verge of hysterics. "WHERE ARE THEY!"

Escad shook himself back to his senses, and got to his feet. He grabbed her arm, pulling her to him forcefully. She stared up at him, hands still pressed against the top of her head. "Forget it, we have to go."

"But why?" Saiga said, stalking through the smoke. He didn't apear to even have a scratch. "You were having such a nice moment. I truly hate to interrupt, but..."

"-But you owe me ten-thousand Lucre. And not a penny less," Someone announced, stepping out from an adjacent alleyway.

Saiga turned a baleful glare on a chubby rabbit, who chuckled good-naturedly. "Well, I suppose I can get it from Riven or Elleira. They're such good sports. Understand though, there'll still be a surcharge. For the rescue of course."

"Stay out of this, fool." Saiga threatened, pointing his sword at the merchant.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. No profit in it." Niccolo reached behind his back, and flung out a sword, which Escad caught handily. "Now its twelve-thousand, but I'll knock it back to eleven because the young lady gave me such savvy business advice the other day."

"Quit ignoring me!" Saiga snapped, lunging with his blade. Escad and Meimei gasped, but Niccolo held out his other hand.

"A gift for you," he said pleasantly, backing away with surprising quickness. The sword slid through the box, and the Hokuten flung the blade aside. The explosion destroyed his sword, and threw him violently across the alleyway. "Of course..." Niccolo continued, "if its not to your tastes..."

"Defeated...by a rabbit..." The old man got up, cradling an arm that hung uselessly at his side. "If you wouldn't all be dead in a few more hours..."

Escad lunged forward, slashing hard and fast. Saiga dodged to the side, backing away quickly. "...It doesn't matter. All I have to do is wait for the Mana Fortress to start rising, and Elleira will show. She's always wanted to be the hero..."

With a smirk, Escad rested his new blade across his shoulder. "Now that the Rabite's on the other foot, you don't want to play anymore."

Saiga snapped his fingers, and the twin girls accompanying him stepped forward. "No worries. I'll leave you with someone to play with." Then the old man was gone, dashing down the street, disappearing out of sight.

Escad settled into a fighting stance, preparing to bring down the girls. They each stared at him, dull eyes, and vacant expressions. It was as if he wasn't even there...they were detached from the events around them. The entire fight with their superior, they'd merely stood like bored audience members at a show they hadn't wanted to attend.

"Escad, if we don't break away, we can't do what needs to be done," Meimei said, tugging on his sleeve. "There's too much happening for us to be bogged down here."

He shook his head and smirked. "I can't. These young ladies are nice enough to stay and entertain me, the least I can do is be a good guest."

"Wha-what!" she gasped.

"You have to go to someone. Honestly, I don't know who. There's probably no one left. I've heard of what the Nanten are capable of, and that old man said the Mana Fortress. If he means to do what I think, then someone needs to get there before him." Escad turned his head slightly, glancing back at her for a brief moment. "You really are beautiful. You shouldn't hide your hair."

Meimei staggered back as if struck, before steadying herself against the wall. "W-Wait..."

"Go find Elleira," Escad said sternly, lifting his blade.

The fortune teller backed away slowly, trying to say something. Anything. She couldn't read his future. After this moment, she couldn't see anything in his future at all. She fled, tears in her eyes.

Escad glanced at the rabbit, who was casually surveying the scene. "So..."

"Don't ask," Niccolo said. "There's no money in it."

With a chuckle, Escad pointed at the bodies littering the ground. "All these guys are highly paid Nanten mercenaries. I imagine it would be simple enough to lift their purses."

The rabbit snorted derisively. "Hey! I'm no pickpocket! I earn my Lucre the hard way! Hard work and determination!"

Escad bit back a sarcastic reply. "I'm just saying, what with their injuries...you'd be doing them a favor by lightening their load."

Niccolo considered this, eyeing the women shrewdly. They still hadn't moved, except for their eyes, which followed each of the two male's movements. "Well...can't leave an injured person in distress." Niccolo settled into a fighting stance alongside Escad. "Never let it be said Niccolo was not a good Samaritan!"

"Certainly not," Escad said smugly.

Finally, the red-head turned her head, and frowned. "Are you guys done talking? You're boring me."

* * *

"All right...WHERE THE HELL ARE WE!" Elleira yelled, her frustration having finally peaked. Cervantes flinched and rubbed his ear. She shot him a dirty look before turning around. "I don't recognize any of this rubble. And there's this ugly fog here..."

All around them was fog; she could barely see ten feet ahead. It was getting darker, and soon they'd be helpless. "C'mon..." she grumbled. "We should be in Geo by now..."

It came all at once. Screaming and crying, seemingly from all around them. Elleira looked around frantically, unable to pinpoint where it was coming from. Swearing loudly, she rushed forward and burst through the fog...into the center of Geo.

There was no time for her to stand and take in the horrific destruction wrought by the mercenaries let loose by Godhand. Everything that happened next was for her, a fluid motion. There was no thought, no real consideration of what was happening, or how to react to what she saw. There was instinct and action.

But you and I have the luxury of time. For a moment you and I can pause...

...And bear witness.

The inn's balcony is crumbled, half-shaped stone scattered across the entire square. What once may have been a jeweler's shop is now a smoldering wreckage, long since looted and destroyed. There are soldiers, both here in this place, and further on...in the distance, they are laying siege to a school.

Here, they have children in chains...beaten, bleeding children. The only adults that are not soldiers are bodies on the ground. There are many more wounds then it would take to kill a man...they were bludgeoned, beaten stabbed...for resisting. Sacrificing themselves to rescue the children from being captured -whether they are to be sold into slavery, used as icons in rituals, or something even more sickening is unclear- earned them death and desecration.

The children are mostly silent, heads lowered...sufficiently cowed by the abuse of the officers into silence. Some of them will never speak again. A few are sobbing hysterically, boys and girls, and at this very moment, a soldier is heading towards them, raising his arm to strike them yet again. There is nothing in his eyes as he does it. Not sadness, not regret. These emotions are too _human_ to be applied to someone so obviously _inhuman_. Neither is he angry, or even annoyed. He does not care. What he is doing in that moment is his duty...he doesn't care whether the children live or die, whether they are dragged screaming into the beds of his comrades, or are put into mines to suffer long, agonized torture.

And he is not the worst monster among these men.

Fluidity. A warrior strives for fluidity. Instantaneous thought into action, one flowing into the next. An interconnected set of moves that fits together so perfectly it was as if the entire piece was one simple action.

Elleira, on the other hand, feels nothing. The shock of the scene took her all at once, and she feels nothing as she lifts her spear and drives it through the head of the man approachig the children. A dozen heads turn at the sickly _shlupp_ sound of the blade bursting through his skull. She lifts a thin-handled axe from the belt of the man, and turns into the next man, the only one who reacted quickly after the death of his fellow kidnapper.

She does not forget to turn the handle; she chooses not to. His face explodes in gore as she beats him with the blunt end of the instrument, turning his face into an unrecognizable mush.

Another Nanten approaches, and she brings the axe up from hr beating, slicing him open from the crotch to his chin. There's no time to kill the second one, but Cervantes dispatches him with little effort.

Unlike Elleira, he has full control of his senses. He is not reacting from instinct...nor are his senses dulled by shock. But Cervantes kills just as quickly as she does, though he is aware of the sick feeling in his gut, the bile rising in his throat, and the acrid smell of burning wood and flesh in the air.

Elleira and Cervantes slaughter the remaining Nanten, and he puts away his weapon. Elleira does not.

Without a glance for the children, the priest turns instantly to Elleira. She continues pounding away at a soldier, beating and slashing him, continuing to attack even when her axe head breaks on the stone after she's finished decimating his head.

Cervantes reached out, snatching her hand, and dragging her away from the man. "He's not finished yet!" she screamed, slapping him away. Without expression, the priest gestures at the man's remains. "He can't get much deader."

Elleira stared at the man for a moment, then touched her cheek. The piece of the axe-head that had gone flying when she hit the ground had arced up, slicing into her cheek. She couldn't discern her own blood from the man's...from any of the men she had killed.

Staggering to the inn's sole remaining wall, she vomited noisily in the corner. Cervantes turned to the children, examining their chains.

"Wuh..." one of the kids stuttered, and Cervantes arched an eyebrow at him. The kid swallowed. "Whoa," he finished, and Cervantes shook his head.

"Yeah," he said, drawing his sword, and slicing through the chains.

Elleira came up behind him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She spit to the side, and pointed up ahead. "How many more are up there?"

A stone head fell to the ground beside them, exploding across the ground. Kathinja stalked forward, hands on her hips. "None, now."

Elleira nodded weakly, and scrubbed at the cut on her cheek.

"Kids, get to the school. Mephianse is waiting," Kathinja said, more gently then Elleira had ever heard her speak, and the children ran quickly without a word of protest. One girl grabbed Elleira's hand, squeezing it tightly for a moment, before rushing off after the others.

Elleira felt her lip trembling, and then she broke down, falling to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Kathinja and Cervantes stood by helplessly. there was nothing they could have done; Elleira was learning the cruelest lesson, one Saiga had never mentioned before.

Heroes always cry alone.


	20. Rainbow Tears

Author's Note-After my computer troubles, its really hard to get everything back together. I'm trying, but its gonna be slow going.

Brilliance, A Legend of Mana Story  
Chapter 18 -Rainbow Tears-

_Snowfields_  
"Gah...colder then I remember." Sierra shivered, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. Elazul said nothing, pushing forward through the snow.

"No comments about my fur?" Vadise's guardian chuckled, amusing herself.

"You know," Elazul grumbled, "the only thing worse then the weather is your jokes."

Sierra shrugged, and trudged on ahead of him. "I met up with Elleira -sometime after the incident with the Crimson Dragon- and the entire length of our journey, I couldn't get her to shut up. But afterwards, after returning to the White Forest...I missed her."

The wind whistled shrilly, grabbing hold of Elazul's mantle and snapping it roughly. The two warriors dropped lower to the ground and continued forward. "Was that it?" Elazul asked after a moment.

"Well...yeah."

Rolling his eyes, Elazul pushed forwards. They'd been traveling hip-deep in snow for the entire length of the snowfields, trying to wok their way to the field of Icicle Flowers.(Something is wrong in this place,) Elazul thought furioously. (I have to figure out what, or we're going to freeze to death before we even get there.)

"Is it getting darker?" Sierra asked, and Elazul's head snapped upwards. It was. The sun was far lower then it should have been. (...Surely it hasn't been that long?)

He was so wrapped up in thought that he stopped too late. He smacked right into a large block of ice. Swearing loudly, he staggered back and fell beneath the snow. He came back up sputtering and spitting in intervals.

"Elazul, the path -uh, such as it is- its ice." Sierra gestured ahead of them; everything that was visible ahead of them was ice. And from the bruise down the length of Elazul's leg, it could be gathered that the ice went deeper even then the snow..perhaps all the way to the earth underneath. Without a word, the two warriors climbed onto the sheet of ice and continued onwards, drawing their weapons.

Directly ahead of them was the Field of Icicle Flowers.

* * *

Khoval stood over his daughter's body, watching her impassionately as she lay writhing in the snow. Yet again had she risen against him...yet again he had been forced to put her in her place. How long must a god put up with such insolence from his own flesh? 

He turned his back on her, shedding his robe. The young boy who had spoken for him for ages was gone...his face obliterated by Sable's arrows. How she had fashioned enough power to steal the Shadoles -not to mention use them as living weapons- from Olbohn he had no idea.

Khoval was -for the first time- without a vassal. Behind him stood the mighty Mana Crystal which contained the energies of the collected Wisdoms and Dragons. When it was finished draining them, it would change colors from red to blue.

Red and blue crystals; the red and blue eyes of Agony and Ecstasy. Was there a connection in the colors? Or perhaps in the objects themselves? The girls were mysterious creatures. Khoval shook his head. No matter.

He let the robe fall to the snow, and stood nude against the chill wind. His body was without mark; no lines on his hands, no veins to be seen through his arms, or anywhere on his body. Khoval had no outward sign of mortality...the mortality given him when Godhand had killed his son.

His son had gone mad, grown drunk on his own power. It was common among half-breeds. Sable was even now showing the signs of losing her mind. Khoval had tried to aid them both, to bring them back to themselves...but to no avail. His son was lost to him forever, because he had taken Godhand's wife.

Sable was lost to him forever, because he did not have the strength to save her.

Soon enough the heroes would arrive, and he would slay them and return to Godhand with the crystal. He would leave Fa'diel, as the Moon Gods and the Flammies had before him. And he would die there.

Sable...his daughter...would never leave this field again.

It took him a moment to recall the name of the Jumi who crested the hill, though they had not met long ago. The warrior arrived with sword drawn, and Khoval raised his hands, not giving him a moment to react. The earth beneath them shattered the ice, rising up, taking the shape of a giant hand.

The knight slipped through the grasp, dodging to the side, and Khoval lost sight of him in the snow. There was no time to look for him, as another fighter appeared beside him blurring with preternatural speed. The female guardian of Vadise, the white dragon.

She attacked, and he seized one of her hands, slapping her roughly across the face, propelling her across the field. She glanced off the icy ground, before slamming into one of the frozen trees.

Elazul -yes, that was the name- called out his attack, and energy rays began raining down on him. Khoval flung one hand up desperately, and the earth formed a dome around him, shielding him.

But only barely. The attack beat down on his shield of rock and dirt, and when it failed the Jumi landed atop the dome, slashing and hacking violently, never letting up for a moment. Silently, Khoval cursed his daughter for coming to this place. He had only just managed to defeat her. The earth was too far below the ice, too difficult to summon up and fight with. She had known that, and used it to her advantage, just as these warriors were doing now.

Only they had not known the earth would not respond to him here. Nor could they have guessed that he would still be weakened from fighting his own child. Sable was further back in the field, obscured by the crystal. If he did not win this battle, she might survive. She had the strength to-

Something thudded painfully in his chest, and he looked down. The head of a black arrow writhed about, half-embedded in him. He looked back and saw where the arrow had pierced his dome, which was already crumbling around him. The Jumi slipped, falling from the top of the shield, and the dragon's protector caught him, pulling him back. Khoval turned a scowl on them before falling to one knee.

He was dying quickly, and yet he still felt no pain. The god sat down hard in the snow, turning his head to see where his daughter was. She was lying, motionless, the color of her skin in stark contrast with the icy landscape surrounding her. She looked so beautiful there...something twinged in Khoval's chest, and he reached up, plucking the Shadole from his wound and flinging it aside, ignoring its cackle.

Sable could cause so much pain with her arrows. It was only a matter of will. And when she used a demonic creature as a weapon -such as the Shadoles- the pain was multiplied a hundred-fold, because it was not just flesh the arrow pierced, but the victim's soul as well. Was it compassion she showed him in her final moments?

She was so beautiful. Just like her mother. They had both died in the snow...they had both died because he hadn't the strength to save them from themselves...or from himself. He turned his rainbow eyes on Elazul, wondering if he could possibly understand. Did mortals love? Surely not...or else they would not be so good at killing.

He did not know when he fell backwards, but suddenly he was staring at the sky. He blinked, and Elazul stood over him. Blinked again, and the warrior laid a mantle of sand across his face. Khoval sighed, letting out his last breath. He wanted to thank the Jumi...but did not have the strength. He closed his eyes, and did not open them again.

"You okay Sierra?" Elazul asked her, standing.

"My jaw hurts a bit..." she said rubbing the side of her face. "But I'll live. What did we step into here? What was up with his eyes?"

Elazul glanced down at the dead 'god'. Then across the field at the fallen archer. He shrugged helplessly. "...Let's find what we came for."


	21. Gloaming

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story  
Chapter Nineteen -Gloaming-

Elleira sat cross-legged atop one of the desks, listening quietly to the teachers as they filled her in. Cervantes stayed near the windows, appearing at ease...just casually surveying the grounds. Everything he did was with such a practiced ease that no one paid him any mind...except Mephianse, who continued to look in the priest's direction with ever-growing suspicion.

"So..." Elleira said loudly, "Let me get this straight. At some point Godhand sent his hired mercenaries away. They ended up wandering aimlessly, murdering and pillaging, and kidnapping for the slave market. The mercenaries themselves don't appear to have any attachment to the Nanten, or the Jumi Cores they were stealing for Godhand."

"Yes. We've been hearing...rumors," Kathinja began slowly. "There are a number of splits among the high command -such as it is- of the Nanten. The dismissed mercenaries we've captured have been less then willing to talk, but they've made several mentions of a 'Fortress' hidden inside the jungle."

"It explains why they'd get rid of Rosiotti...but why everyone else? Why attack the Jumi? Why the other Wisdoms?"

"No doubt," Mephianse said, "they wanted to make certain the Wisdom's would not come to Rosiotti's aid. And as for the Jumi...I believe their cores were to be used as payment for the mercenaries they hired. With their magic returned to them, no doubt a core is very valuable."

"...Ugh." Elleira put her elbows on her knees, and her chin in her hands. "Lemme guess. Hire the mercenaries to attack the Jumi, then let the mercenaries go. With that many armed groups running around, no one would be able to intervene in whatever their really after."

"That is the theory." Mephianse turned towards Cervantes. "What do you think? You haven't said much since you got here..."

The priest glanced at them briefly. "...I wonder. Something about this whole situation strikes me as odd. Fa'diel has no standing army of any sort. They have a number of do-gooders -forgive me, Elleira- who are seemingly the only ones capable of standing and fighting. Where did all these trained warriors come from?"

Elleira blinked at him in surprise, even as Kathinja waved it off. "Across the ocean, of course."

"But where? What country? There are thousands of trained warriors. No nation is entirely composed of mercenaries, no matter how bad things may be there. Which means that these men came from a number of countries. But if this is the case, why wouldn't they -the countries, that is- have been heard from before? Whether through political delegations or conquering war parties, if other countries existed, they should have been here before now."

There was silence in the room as everyone contemplated what he'd said. Mephianse asked, "What are you trying to say? 'If other countries existed?' What kind of nonsense is that?"

"Explain it, then." The priest shrugged, and gestured out the window. "Explain why a world such as Fa'diel exists. I've read the histories...an apocalyptic war occurred, and all the lands were 'sealed away'."

"We've heard this from the Sproutlings," Kathinja said, quickly cutting off Mephianse's infuriated reply. "Its madness. The world is not imagined. I exist. I've always existed. No one thought me up."

Elleira slid off the desk, crashing to the floor. She landed with a loud "Oomph!" and everyone turned to her. Blushing furiously, she leapt to her feet, rubbing the back of her head. "Well, haha, I should probably...go...do...things..."

She made a break for the door, and Cervantes followed her quickly. Kathinja and Mephianse exchanged confused glances, but Thesenis merely sat in the darkest corner of the room peering out from under her bandages darkly.

Out in the hall, Elleira whirled on Cervantes. "What was that?"

"Me?" he scoffed. "I'm not the one who rushed out of the room after falling on my ass."

"You know what I mean!" Elleira snapped. She paused for a second, waving an accusatory finger in his face. "...How DO you know what I mean! Nobody else knows anything about the Artifacts except the Sproutlings, and they're insane!" She started pacing the hall, frantically waving her hands in exaggerated movements. "You always speak about Fa'diel in abstract forms, yet when you do talk specifics, its all stuff nobody but I should know!"

Cervantes eyed her carefully, a smirk slipping onto his face. "Do you think you're living in an imaginary world?"

Elleira leaned against the wall, scowl deepening. "I want to know who you are."

"I've told you-"

"Quit yanking me around," she snapped.

Cervantes studied her again, and let his smile slip away. "Do you believe in other worlds? Worlds you can't see?"

"Like the afterlife the Reverend talks about?" she asked. "The one where we all go to live happily with the Goddess? No. I've been to the Underworld. I know what happens when we die."

The 'priest' shrugged. "Then its something you won't understand."

"Why you!" Elleira grabbed his collar of his coat, pulling him roughly downwards, forcing him to look her in the eye. "I'm glad you feel all superior and smug, because since you've been playing me this whole time, I feel like smacking you around."

The walls shuddered, and the two were thrown apart, slamming into opposite walls. Swearing under her breath, Elleira rubbed at her head furiously as she started for the front hall of the school. Cervantes followed closely behind, putting a steadying hand on her shoulder. She scowled at him, but said nothing as the school shook again, flinging her backwards. "Whaaaa!" she cried out, falling backwards into the old priest's arms.

He helped her keep her feet, but turned her to face him. "Listen to me."

She stared up at him, shocked. They could hear screaming from up ahead, Mephianse shouting orders, the sounds of battle and crackle of spells reaching them through the hallway. Cervantes was holding onto her tightly, and the look in his eyes made her nervous. She tried to pull back, but he kept holding her tightly.

"Wha-what are you doing!" she cried, panicking.

"You don't understand what you've seen, not yet. But you will." Cervantes leaned closer, and she flushed red. What the hell was he talking about! Was he going to kiss her? What was he thinking! "Your world is a lot smaller then you'd like to believe." He turned his face upwards, and she followed his gaze, looking up with him.

Shining brightly among the clouds off in the distance, was Lucemia.

* * *

Inside the small clearing where Rosiotti had once held sway, Godhand watched a myriad a chains stretched from the somewhere deep in the ground, to high in the sky, as Lucemia performed her final service to the Nanten. 

"Unbelievable! Unconceivable!" Pierce ranted, his voice a high screech. Godhand shot him a glare meant to silence him, but the sorcerer continued rambling on. "The Wyrm can't even pry it free! Where is that worthless necromancer! Why isn't she whipping that monster, or however she tamed the stupid beast-"

"Shut. Up."

His fury was at a fever pitch. At the moment of his greatest triumph, Kana, Vandal, Khoval, Saiga, Agony, Ecstasy, and Sable were nowhere to be found. Did they not understand how close he was? How close to attaining everything he'd ever dreamed He had thought that at the very least, Kana would...

With a scowl, Godhand shoved Pierce roughly aside, stepping forward to where the chains were stretched taut. They extended far into the sky, where they were attached to the great Wyrm Lucemia, and deep into the earth...to the Mana Fortress.

Godhand grabbed two chains, one in each hand, and heaved. Pierce watched, stunned, and the ground cracked and shuddered beneath them, as Godhand attempted to tear the Mana Fortress from the grasp of the planet.

Of course Kana understood. She knew what he was after, what he hoped to find within the Mana Fortress. The truth about the entire affair; the war, the swords, even the elves. She knew...and she resented it. How many times had she tried to convince him to change his path? How many times had she tried to convince him to leave with her, to walk away from his obligation? All her professions of undying love...and where was she now?

His feet sunk into the earth, and he pulled harder, giving everything he had. Nothing would stop him from attaining his final goal.

Something far below cracked, and the chains came free. He held onto one, grinning, the elation of victory swirling through him as Lucemia carried him into the sky, along with the Mana Fortress. The earth broke apart, and he saw Pierce scrambling away from the site, trying to find safety from the massive chunks of dislodged rock and dirt.

As the Mana Fortress crested, Godhand slid down the chain, his hand sparking as it slid over the metal, and he landed atop the fortress, smiling down at the planet as he was carried into the sky.

* * *

Pearl stopped running, holding the hammer loosely in one hand. She stared up at the sky, unwilling to believe her eyes. "What's going on?" Lucemia -at least, she thought it was Lucemia- was carrying something. A large object, black against the sky...she thought for a moment that it looked like a bowl. She squinted, shading her eyes, trying to get a decent look. 

Lucemia kept climbing higher and higher, and the bowl passed in front of the sun.

Red tendrils shot out from the object, criss-crossing the sky, seemingly breaking the world apart. The sky was turning black, except for the lines, which remained bright red and angry against the rapidly darkening sky. "What is this?" she whispered, and the planet itself seemed to groan in pain as an answer.

* * *

Escad and Niccolo blinked in surprise as one, and stared up at the sky, taking their eyes off there opponents. The girls made no move towards them, they just ignored the sky as it blackened, ignored the distraction it caused their enemies. 

"Um, say..." Niccolo asked, carefully watching his tone. "I don't suppose you know what's going on, do you?"

Escad tore his eyes from the sky, looking towards the girls. They both met his eyes for the first time. Red light bathed everything in an eerie glow, and the red-haired girl actually smirked.

"We didn't have to do anything after all," she said softly.

"The Mana Fortress. That Nanten psycho has raised it up." Escad grit his teeth angrily. "Niccolo, focus. We've got to fight."

Niccolo brought his gaze back down to street-level, eyeing the two girls carefully. "Y'know...this world ending business happens too often for my tastes."

"Let's go!" Escad snarled, charging forward. He brought his blade in low, slashing upwards, but the girl red-head leaned backwards barely moving, and still avoiding the blade. One hand snapped forward, and he dodged it, making her grin. She attacked witha fervent bloodlust, trying to grab him, strike him...anything to make contact with him.

He leapt backwards, keeping her at bay with careful slashes. She was enjoying herself, and he could tell from her eyes that she could keep at it all day. He cast a glance towards Niccolo, where he was desperately throwing punches and kicks, trying to land a blow on the other girl, who danced around lazily, avoiding his attacks with unorthodox but graceful steps.

"Stand still, will you!" Niccolo snapped, throwing a quick series of punches. She ducked them, coming up inside his reach, slipping her arms around him with the same fluid ease she'd dodged his attacks. He stiffened, arms and ears shaking rapidly, but otherwise unmoving. "Silly rabbit..." she said softly, almost sadly.

The red-haired girl got inside his guard while he was distracted, and tried to grab his face, but he stepped forward, using his shoulder to deflect the attack, and slammed the hilt into her stomach. The blade shook like he'd tried to strike rock, but her eyes bugged anyways, and she leapt backwards, cartwheeling away, hissing loudly.

He blinked a few times in confusion. The blue-haired girl had dropped Niccolo, and was approaching her partner, eyeing Escad with something akin to fear. He side-stepped, trying to get close to Niccolo, but the girls blocked his path. The red-haired girl no longer looked happy, and the blue-haired girl no longer looked sad. They bnoth stared at him, eyes wide with horror and revulsion.

"What are you?" the blue-haired girl whispered.

"Step aside," he snapped. Raising his sword, he took a step forward. He could tell from their movements that it wasn't the sword they were afraid of...it was him.

"You...you're dead..." The girl continued. "How...?"

"Stand aside, NOW!" Escad snarled, and they charged forward, surprising him. He ducked and dodged their attempts to grab him, and each time he slashed one, there was no effect that he could see.

"Rrrrrgh...Enough!" Escad flung his sword at them, and they side-stepped it easily, and moved in for the kill. He clapped his hands together, and they stopped charging. _"Fall---Down to the Underworld!"_ He dropped to his knees and slammed his palms into the ground. The earth opened up, and the girls shrieked in terror...but didn't fall.

He looked on in shock, and the black portal to Hell reached up, grasping them, sinking darkness into their bodies. Their veins filled with the black ichor of shadows, and they stopped screaming when the black lines criss-crossed their faces, and filled their eyes with blackness.

They collapsed as the portal dissipated, unmoving on the stone. Escad looked briefly at his hands. "What happened?"

"They were life. When touched by the Underworld, they did what most do: they died."

Escad glanced sideways, seeing the speaker emerge from an alleyway. "Looks like I'm late," Larc finished.

"Life? What do you mean?" Escad asked angrily. He couldn't get the horror of their deaths out of his mind. He feared he'd see it forever.

"The facets of life. Pain and pleasure. Agony and-"

"Ecstasy!" Niccolo sighed dreamily, sitting upright. "Oh my. That was good. I'd pay for that, even."

Escad and Larc gaped at him in horror. "I uh...guess it doesn't work the same on demi-humans?" Larc wondered aloud.

"Or Niccolo's just a freak," Escad said. "Come on, we've got work to do."

"Oh, I'm all right." Niccolo continued on in his dreamlike tone. "I think I'll...sit here and bask in the afterglow."

"Um...Yeah. You...you do that." Larc said. He threw up his hands, and started heading for the gates.

Escad rolled his eyes, collected his sword, and headed off after Larc, avoiding looking at the darkness looming overhead.


	22. Bondage Bestowed

Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story

Chapter Twenty -Bondage Bestowed-

The Mana Fortress floated silently through the sky, hovering in the center of a soundless whirlwind of darkness. Even the ever-present hum of Lucemia's melody faded to nothing while inside the fortress. Instead, there was something else. Something deeper. It called to everyone within its reach, which for now, remained small. But the further the darkness and crimson stretched through the sky, the more it would hold under its sway.

Riven, for his part, noticed none of this. He felt it, yes, but the sensation couldn't break through his determination to shatter the bond placed on him by the sorcerer. He very nearly cracked the spell when Pierce dragged Bud and Lisa, dull-eyed and listless into the main chamber.

Godhand examined the chamber carefully, reading the words scrawled on the walls. Pierce shifted uncomfortably. He felt whatever was calling themmore keenly then anyone else, and he obviously didn't like what it said.

The leader of the Nanten glanced at Pierce, briefly taking notice of his discomfort, and then turned his gaze to Riven. It was like looking through a spyglass for the Mana Hero, Godhand's sneering face several inches and a hundred miles away all at once. "How does it feel, standing in this place, Riven? You and I, we stood here once before. Long, long ago. Its all written on these walls. The true history of Fa'diel...not the illusory fairytale the Mana Goddess pounded into your skull."

Godhand gestured to the walls, but the symbols just looked like scratches to him, and while under Pierce's spell, he was unable to look around at them, even if he'd wanted to. "You see my boy, you and I, and Elleira too...we all stood here. We challenged the Mana Goddess herself. You don't remember, do you?" For a moment, he seemed almost sad, but it quickly passed.

"What is a mortal, when compared to a god? Or goddess, for that matter? Nothing. An insignificant speck in the infintessimal void. I proved that theory wrong upon killing one of them. When I started the war with the Mana Goddess." Godhand studied Riven, searching for a reaction.

(What is he going on about?) Riven wondered. He would have asked -or tried to strike the man- but he was still unable to make even the slightest voluntary twitch.

Godhand shrugged, and gestured to Pierce. "Prepare the children. I'm going inside."

"How do you know the path?" Pierce asked nervously.

"Weren't you listening?" Godhand snapped. "I know the way." He stalked off, and Riven felt his feet moving to follow. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Irwin fall into step beside him. The weight of the Holy Swords on his back was almost too much to bear, but he continued onwards, zombie-like and helpless into the dark twisting corridors ahead.

* * *

"So..." Sierra asked aloud, knowing he was thinking the same thing. "How do we get them out?"

As best they could tell, the Wisdoms were sealed within a massive Mana Crystal, the largest they'd ever seen. Nearly eight times their size. Beside it was a twin, a crystal the exact same size and shape, except it glittered red with the same light coming from the sky.

Elazul scratched his chin, carefully studying them. And then, impulsively, he reached out and grabbed one.

Their was a rush of sensation, and for those few brief seconds, he was sure his soul would be blasted apart. His core flickered violently, and after what seemed an eternity, the feeling suddenly ceased. He fell backwards, landing on his backside in the snow, unable to orient himself.

"Elazul! Are you all right!" Sierra yelped in surprise, dropping down beside him in the snow. "Get a hold of yourself!"

_"He'll be all right, child."_ the Guardian of Vadise turned towards the new voice, and saw a young girl standing before her, dressed in green robes. The girl smiled, but there was no true happiness in it. _"Listen carefully. The last of our strength is waning. I can only speak to you like this for a short time."_

"Then quit expounding and get on with it!" Sierra snapped.

The girl looked shocked, but quickly recovered. _"The Nanten are raising the Mana Fortress. When it reaches its zenith, they will use the children and the swords to seal a pact with a force the world hasn't seen in centuries. If they succeed, Fa'diel may well be sealed again...never to reawaken."_

_"You must free the dragons, for they are the only way you can reach the Fortress now. We'll use our power to aid you."_

"And what about you all?" Elazul asked calmly, regaining his feet with Sierra's help.

The Wisdom averted her eyes._ "I can not say. Perhaps, upon defeating the Nanten who trapped us, we can be freed. But that is unimportant. All that matters is Fa'diel. That Fa'diel continues on."_

Elazul studied her for a moment. "...We'll do as you ask, Wisdoms." The girl flickered and faded, the look of relief on her face the last thing they saw. Sierra cast a glance Elazul's direction. "So how do we break the dragons out?"

Elazul drew his sword. "The old fashioned way, I suppose."

"Hey, wait!" Sierra cried as her companion swung his sword viciously. The sword rebounded, flying from his hands, and the stone remained untouched. Elazul grit his teeth and shook his hands. "Ow," he said.

"I could've told you that wouldn't...work..." she trailed off when he retrieved his sword, and lifted it into a fighting stance. Rolling her eyes, she took a few steps away. He could beat on something like that all day, but it would never crack. It was mystical, imbued with a force beyond normal human-

His core shined brightly, illuminating the Garden of Icicle Flowers, pushing back the darkness. His sword shined with a different light -the light of the Wisdom's power- and the second crystal dimmed in comparison. He brought his sword around a second time, and cleaved it in two. The sword shattered in his grip, and he vainly flung an arm up to block the shards.

Sierra rushed to his side and checked his face and hands for injury. "Are you okay?"

His response was drowned out by a mighty roar, and the sound of glass shattering.

* * *

Elleira shook herself free of Cervantes, and started for the end of the hall, directly towards the sounds of battle. "You can not continue playing at being a hero," he shouted after her, the words bringing her to a halt. She kept her back to him, unable to believe what she'd heard.

Cervantes strode past her while drawing his sword, and continued onwards. "You have to go to your friends, and fight. Those red lines are _words_. That fortress is the center of an elaborate spell, but what it is meant to do..." He shrugged uncomfortably. "You have a difficult battle ahead, and I do not envy it. But it will not be made easier by you charging into this fight here."

"Shut up! You don't think I know that!" she snapped. "Quit acting so damn superior, and go back to wherever you came from!"

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he turned towards her, eyes hidden behind the brim of his hat. "I have a feeling that you'll learn the answer to the questions you're asking if you go. But if you stay here, the world may very well end." He tipped his hat, and headed off.

"Wha...hey..." she reached out after him, stunned speechless. Another loud crashed resounded through the hallway, and the priest broke into a run, leaping out into the great hall and into the battle. Elleira looked out the nearest window, peering at the fortress, and at the scarlet tracing lines across the sky. They did kind of look like words...

With a hiss of frustration, she turned her back on the battle before her, and set off for the jungle.

"Where is she!" Kana shrieked, flexing her power over the mercenaries, forcing them to rise again, and fling themselves at Kathinja, who swept her gaze over them lazily. They slowly began turning to stone; first the tips of the fingers grasping for her, then the arms and legs, slowing them further. They were nearly comical in their attempts to continue forward in spite of their useless limbs. But Kathinja was wearing down, and had no time to consider it from that angle.

She fell back behind one of the statues, glancing to Mephianse for help. He was still trying to force an arrow wound to close, and it was resisting his efforts. The necromantic powers present made even rudimentary healing difficult, and his wound was hardly minor.

Kana snarled furiously, and took a step back -onto the outstretched hand of the Deathbringer. He lifted her to his shoulder, where she sat regally, surveying the school. "I can wait all day. You think time works for you? Every day that passes, you get closer to death, and my power over you grows even more. All I want is the girl, but if I have to torture you to death a thousand times-"

Cervantes burst through the doors of the school, sword drawn. He spared the teachers little more then a glance as he passed them, placing himself in the center of the square, between Kana and the school.

"...Did you hear nothing I said?" Kana asked, her voice soft. "You send an old man to duel a necromancer? I could stop his heart from Polpota!"

The priest lifted his sword in salute, and then launched his attack. His speed caught her off guard, but the Deathbringer brought his fist down on the stone, punching a hole four feet deep. Cervantes staggered back, then leapt to one side as the monster ripped his hand free, splitting a chasm of rock all the way to the entrance of the school.

Cervantes rolled to his feet with one hand raised. Kana called forth her power, flinging both hands outwards towards him, but it did nothing except ruffle his coat. Her eyes widened in fear, uncomprehending. "What are you!"

"A death dealer, much like yourself. But unlike you," he said as he carefully adjusted his hat, "I serve something greater then petty mortal concerns."

"Petty? Petty!" As Kana's anger peaked, the fallen mercenaries raised without even a gesture on her part. "My brother is dead! Dead because of that whore! You think my revenge is _petty!_ Your lives are nothing compared to his! I'll destroy every last speck of life that stands between me and that girl! I'll bring Hell to this entire world, just for her!"

Cervantes shrugged. "Sounds like her life is pretty important to you."

Kana was taken aback for a moment, then she struck the Deathbringer's head. "Kill him! Destroy him! _Annihilate him!"_

The Deathbringer leapt forward, his speed impossible for his size, and his fist sliced through the open air. The priest threw himself down, dragging his sword along the monster's arm as he tried to get close, but the Deathbringer swatted him with his other hand, sending him flying.

Cervantes landed in a pile, separated from his sword, barely able to move. Kana was still howling for his blood, and the Deathrbinger was closing on him. He raised one hand, breaking the laws his God had set down for what seemd like the thousandth time since he reached Fa'diel.

_"Firaga!"_

Fireballs streaked from his hand, enveloping the Deathbringer's outstretched arm, and it reared back in agony, flinging a shrieking Kana from his shoulder. Cervantes felt the blood pounding in his ears, knowing that soon he would be unconscious, and not only from breaking natural law. The Deathbringer had hurt him more then he'd expected.

Forcing himself to his feet, he ran towards the beast, grabbing his sword from the ground and calling forth another spell. The Deathbringer roared in pain and fury, rushing to meet him, never expectinmg the priest to stop and sweep his sword while still several feet away.

"Aurora! Exhale Bloody Air!" The blade crackled with unnatural power and light as he swept it through the air. _"DARK HOLY!"_

Blackness met the Deathbringer, unholy power pouring over him, shredding his armor, his undead flesh, and the last vestiges of his soul. The demonic power burned him from existence, leaving only a scorh mark on the stone where he'd stood. Cervantes fell, unconscious, blood pouring from his ears and nose, his strength spent.

Kana stumbled forward, clutching her right arm, which now hung useless and at an angle, eyes locked on Cervantes with all-consuming hatred. "You...you were the one...at the camp. You attacked my brother...Weakened him, before that girl even appeared."

She glanced back towards the school briefly, then turned towards him with a mad smile. "I suppose...I'll have to settle for ripping the life from you."

Arms closed around her, and she stiffened in pain and surprise. Thesenis held her as gently as she could, resting her head against the necromancer's neck. Kana struggled, but her arm sent pain through her body that took her breath away, and all she could manage was a helpless squeak.

Kathinja and Mephianse got up together, the teacher supporting the principal with her shoulder. They watched intently as Thesenis held the woman who'd tried to destroy them.

"No! LET! ME! GO!" Kana cried, still unable to pull away. She gasped, breathless with pain.

Thesenis shook her head, and whispered one word. _"Hush."_

Kana collapsed, her strength gone, the struggle gone from her. Thesenis knelt with her, keeping her from hurting herself in the fall. She sobbed uncontrollably in the teacher's arms, and Thesenis merely held her, not saying another word.


	23. Places of Soul

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter 21 -Places of Soul-

Cervantes awoke, reaching for his sword instantly. Kathinja placed a hand on him, meaning to ease him back into his bed, but the motion only served to startle him further. He tried to swing at her, but weak as he was, he could barely lift his arms. She slapped him in the face regardless.

For several seconds, he stared at her in shock, the frown on her features matching the intensity of his surprise. And then he laughed. He laughed so hard it hurt, and the cackle became a grown. Kathinja's frown fell away, and she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"So, I'm alive..." Cervantes sighed. He nodded to himself, trying to suppress dark thoughts.

"You almost sound disappointed," Mephianse said, appearing from somewhere out of the priest's range of vision. He stood at the end of Cervantes' bed, staring at him, his expression stony and unreadable. Cervantes chuckled darkly, and forced a trembling hand past Kathinja, to the nightstand where his hat rested. With more effort then it should have taken, he pulled it on, tipping the brim to cover his eyes.

"Yes, well..." he began, but Mephianse cut him off.

"You're not from Fa'diel. You're not from the outlands; else you'd be fighting alongside Godhand's forces. You use spells of such foul darkness, I find it hard to believe the land stills allows you to live."

Cervantes grunted. "I don't know. It felt like it was trying awfully hard to kill me."

"Who are you? A demon?" Kathinja asked, her voice quiet and distrusting, but her tone implied something else. She was intrigued. Intrigued by his power.

The question, though it was meant to insult him, made him laugh again, and he clutched his sides in an effort to dull the pain. "Ah...no," he said upon finishing. "I'm a man. Simply a man."

"There's nothing simple about you, foreigner." Kana's voice said. The sight of her among the faculty disturbed him, but he quickly stilled his hand, which had tried to find his sword again. She was surrounded by sorcerers, and in close quarters without any fresh corpses, there was little she could do. The woman in bandages at her side seemed lost in her own thoughts, barely even interested in studying him.

"I don't feel the need to explain myself." Cervantes shrugged; the gesture was uncomfortable.

"You'd better get in the mood quickly, because while you were unconscious, we tested ways to get through your...defenses." Kathinja hissed in his ear. "Those were some intriguing mystical protections you had...but if you think we'll hesitate to take you apart to find out what makes you tick..." she trailed off, letting him imagine what he liked for a threat.

"Heh." The old priest relaxed into his bed, considering. There was little he could do at this point, and while dying in service to his Lord was expected, it was much preferred if you tried to _live_ in His service. "...Fine."

"Where are you from?" "Who do you serve?" "Why are you here?" Everyone spoke at once, bombarding him with questions, and he sighed loudly. "You didn't consider your interrogator before I woke up, did you?"

They silenced abruptly, and he heard a slight amount of shuffling. Finally, Mephianse spoke. "Do you know what's happened to the sky?"

The question caught him off guard, and he was glad he'd hidden his eyes. Mephianse was shrewd, perhaps more so then even the others suspected. "I imagine Kana would know better then I."

Kana replied quickly. "It has something to do with the Mana Fortress, but I can not read the words. I need to know what Godhand is doing. He made no mention of this."

"Hmm." Cervantes pushed a finger under the brim of his hat to peer at her. "_What he's doing?_ Are you telling me you fought alongside him all this time, and have no idea what he's after?"

Kana averted her gaze, blushing red, and Cervantes had his answer. He rolled his eyes. "The world might be coming to an end, there's some kind of spell scrawled across the sky, and you never thought to ask him what he's after."

"You don't know what it is then?" Kathinja pressed.

"No. Its in the language of the Gods, so unless you have one handy, I'd say you give up on trying to translate it and worry about bringing down the fortress."

"Language of the Gods?" Mephianse asked, stunned.

"Yes. Only a God can write it; only a God can read it." Cervantes tried to ignore the sinister red light coming through the windows. "Given the circumstances, I'd imagine it a declaration of the Fortress's original purpose. Something made by a God often brings about showy theatrics."

"The Moon Gods left long ago..." The woman behind Kana finally spoke. Thesenis, if he recalled correctly.

"So who is writing is it?" Mephianse snapped.

"Pardon me for asking, but who cares?" Everyone turned towards Cervantes, eyes wide. He pressed on. "Whatever it says, whatever the fortress was made for...the point is that it's in play now. Godhand has brought it out, and is about to use it. Does it matter if it grants him three wishes or just floats around, blowing things up? It has to be brought down."

Kana said nothing, but Mephianse and Kathinja snapped simultaneously, "Knowing what it says could give us a clue to stopping it!"

"That doesn't make any sense..." Thesenis said quietly. "The Moon Gods are gone...Unless there are foreign gods, or the Mana Goddess has risen again, the message is being written by the fortress itself...or at least, a spell woven into the fortress." Everyone had silenced quickly, straining to make out each word she said. "It wouldn't declare how to stop it...much less in a language no one can read..."

"So the words aren't meant for us?" Kathinja asked.

Cervantes peered intently at Thesenis, trying to figure her out. She obviously knew more then she let on, but how much, exactly? Did she know about him?

"There's a Dark Holy Swordsman in the bed," a Sproutling announced, surprising everyone. The faculty stared at it in shock, and Cervantes in confusion as it scrambled up the sheets to sit between his legs.

"How did that get in here?" Kathinja asked.

"What is it?" Kana asked at the same time.

"Hello," it said brightly, smiling at Cervantes. "Will you be destroying the planet now, or will you wait until Godhand resurrects his wife?"

* * *

Elleira was only a short ways down the road when she was assaulted by a cat. It leapt on her back with a loud screech, and the Mana Heroine howled in response, dancing this way and that, trying to fling the thing away. Eventually the struggle devolved into her running frantically in circles, and the cat hanging on for dear life.

And then she tripped over a rock. Lying dazed on her back, she stared at the sky, which swirled around above her without any seeming pattern. After a few seconds, she realized that the cat had stopped mewling nonsensically, and was now speaking.

"Elleira...please...get...off..."

"Great," Elleira murmured. "Now cats are talking to me. I must've gotten a concussion."

"You don't have a concussion, you idiot, now get the hell off me!"

Elleira frowned. "Y'know, I would've thought a voice in my head would be a bit more respectful."

"I am not a voice!" the cat scratched her viciously, raking claws through her hair, and Elleira shrieked and leapt to her feet.

"Ow ow ow!" Elleira rubbed at her head indignantly, scowling at the cat, which started cleaning its claws with its tongue.

"You really suck," the cat said between licks, "at this hero business."

Elleira dropped to her knees quickly, startling the cat. She eyeballed the animal with an intensity she usually reserved for battle, and then grinned. "Hello Daena."

"You know it's me?" the cat asked in amazement. Elleira nodded, and raised her foot, stomping on the cat-girl's tail. Daena howled and hissed for all she was worth, twisting about quickly and latching teeth into Elleira's unforgiving boot. The Mana Heroine cackled loudly. "Who sucks at being a hero, kitten?"

Daena hissed, and rolled around, unable to free herself, and Elleira kept smiling. "Who sucks at being a hero, hmm?"

Finally the cat rolled onto its belly. "All right," she said in a pained voice. "I suck. I'm sorry."

"Aww, kitty," Elleira scooped up Daena before she could do anything, and held her, cooing softly. "How'd you get all...um...non-anthropomorphic?"

"Nunuzac," Daena said, quivering as Elleira stroked her fur. She quite obviously found the position undignified, but Elleira held her gently, and the petting did take her mind from her wounded tail.

"I thought Nunuzac was a conjurer?" Elleira asked, starting off once again towards the jungle.

Daena started purring in spite of herself. "Yes...well...he did conjure. He tried to kill Pearl, and he conjured Freymold."

"What's a freymold?"

"Freymold?" Daena mewed. "Wyrm of Fire? Summoned by Nunuzac to fight in the ancient war? Any of that ring a bell?"

"No," Elleira said. "The only war I was in was a couple of days ago."

Daena hissed in frustration. "Am I the only one who reads those books in Riven's library?"

"You and Lisa," Elleira responded, pausing at a crossroads. "Gah, it's so dark. How am I supposed to find that bloody road...?" She trailed off, as something passed overhead. It blotted out the letters across the sky briefly, and she almost dropped Daena in shock, before realizing it was too small to be Lucemia or the Mana Fortress. "Whaddya suppose..."

All of a sudden the ground shook, and she was flung screaming into the air. More out of Daena's claws suddenly gripping her arms then fear, however. She landed on her backside, and blinked tears out of her eyes. "Why won't this day ever end?" she asked, carefully shifting Daena to one arm in order to rub her bottom.

"Elleira!" Elazul's voice came out from in front of her, and even through the blurry tears, she realized what she was staring at; what had knocked her down. Vadise sat on the road, eyeing her carefully. Elazul and Sierra dropped down off of his back, and ran to her side.

"Are you all right?" Sierra asked quickly.

"Nothing hurt but my pride, and I'm getting used to that," Elleira said, allowing them to help her up. "Found your buddy, huh?" She draped Daena across her shoulder, and then reached under Elazul's cape abruptly, stealing his sword.

She drove it into her own scabbard without waiting for a response from either of them, and headed straight for Vadise. "Let's get going." Her two friends stared in shock as she climbed the dragon's back without even asking permission. She shot them each a dirty look. "Well? We haven't got all day. Err...night. Or whatever."

Elazul and Sierra exchanged looks, and went to her side, Sierra murmuring quickly. "Forgive her; she's had a rough night."

"Damn right!" Elleira snapped. "It's half-past clobbering time, and I mean to beat Godhand's head into the stone until the Fortress cracks in two!"

Vadise made a sound deep in his throat, and took off into the night. Elleira leaned backwards into Sierra, shouting over the sound of rushing wind. "Hey, what's going on?"

"The captivity has weakened him. He can understand us, but he can't speak at all," Sierra said, uncomfortable telling her dragon's weakness to anyone, even Elleira. The Mana Heroine turned more fully in her seat, staring at her incredulously.

"What are you talking about? He just asked me what 'clobbering time' was."

Sierra and Elazul both looked back at her in disbelief. "You...you understood him?" Sierra gasped.

Elleira arched an eyebrow. "You didn't?"

She shook her head dejectedly, and Elazul pointed at the sky. "Can you read that?"

She glanced at the sky briefly, but the wind was making her eyes water. "...Something about the 'rebirth of an angel'. Its not really words, its like...thought across the clouds. If that makes any sense."

The face Elazul made then told her it did not, in fact, make any kind of sense at all. She twisted in her seat uncomfortably. "So uh, let's get to the Mana Fortress."

Vadise rumbled again, and Elleira laughed madly. "God, we'll need them in order to do this. I don't know how many Nanten are left, but even one of them is trouble."

Daena twisted about, turning her little cat head towards Sierra. "If it makes you feel better, she struck her head just before you found us."

Sierra buried her face in her hands. "Dear goddess...we're doomed."


	24. The History

Lotta reading on this one, and a lot of stuff from the History in the library. I tried to plug in the relevant passages, so that you don't all have to go digging out your copies of the game. Also, many thanks to my pal Ker-plop for the new copy of LoM.

-------------

Brilliance, a Legend of Mana Story

Chapter 22 -The History-

_These formless beings will eventually be given form so that they might live. They will be given the task of creating this world. The thoughts they think will shape the landscape. They will be born into this world in fear and sadness. Sometimes their thoughts may hurt this world, but you must help them build it.  
From the history of Fa'diel, verse 12: 'The Prophecy'_

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_The Mana Fortress - Upper Deck_

The top of the Mana Fortress was seemingly made out of one huge piece of stone - there were no cracks, no seams where it may have been pieced together in the distant past- and the only object that stood out was the entrance...a descending, covered staircase that looks more like the doorway to a ruin then anything else she could think of.

"I don't know why..." Elleira commented as she casually walked the deck, "but I just assumed there'd be undead legions. Or, uh, Rabites. Or something." She looked back to where Elazul, Sierra and Daena were climbing down from the dragon's back. "What I did not expect was nothing. Which is what there is. That is to say, nothing."

"Elleira..." Elazul trailed off, looking uncomfortable. Sierra was the one to pose the question. "Are you...feeling all right?"

"Huh? Yeah." Elleira swung the blade she'd borrowed from Elazul, testing its weight with a grimace. "So light...I hate one-handed swords."

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Sierra pressed, but Elleira brushed her off.

"I suppose...so long as I can reequip before I meet any real trouble..." Elleira started towards the entrance, still thinking it looked like an ominous temple. What was it used for? Dark rituals? Human sacrifice? What the hell was it? Sierra and Elazul rushed to catch up with her after saying their goodbyes to Vadise, and the three of them - four, counting the now fully-feline Daena - began their descent into the fortress.

-------------

"Wait...resurrect his wife? That's what he's doing? Well? Answer me, your walking salad!" Mephianse asked. He shook the Sproutling about, as though answers would fall from its nonexistant pockets.

Kathinja slapped him in the back of the head, and pointed at the injured swordsman. "Quit missing the point! What about that bit about destroying the world!"

Everyone looked to Cervantes, who scratched the back of his head. "...Um...Would you believe me if I said I had no clue what it meant?"

"That spell you used..." Kana said softly. "That was magic. Magic, like Pierce uses. You're a foreigner, like us."

"That's a tad insulting." Cervantes put a hand on the brim of his hat. "Shouldn't you address a holy man with a bit more respect?"

"I do not believe you are in a position to be giving us conditions," Thesenis whispered, drawing closer to his bed. "I will not allow any threat to this world to exist."

"I haven't threatened anyone except those who drew weapons against me," Cervantes said. "I am not here to destroy the world, and as soon as I've found my disciple, I'll leave and -fate willing- never return. But my god's name is not to be spoken here. Its a condition of the truce negotiated between my god, and yours."

"What-" Kathinja began, but Cervantes silenced her with a wave of his hand.

"_The Moon Gods peeked into the other worlds, and came to know fear, envy, and desire._" He shrugged. "Your history glosses over the details. My god faced yours, and they battled until the Mana Goddess sealed the paths to other worlds. '_Fa'Diel was filled with the power of Mana. It healed itself and shut away the other worlds'_. I arrived here in search of a wayward student and that's all. My mere presence is violating a pact that has held for three-hundred years."

"Three hundred years? The events in those books occurred millions of years ago! The Moon Gods, the Flammies, the creation of man- none of that happened in a scant few years!" Kathinja snapped.

"He's...not...lying." Thesenis drew away from the entire group, crossing to the other side of the room. She folded her arms, and refused to meet the questioning gazes of the others.

The warrior priest pressed onward. "Your history stops quite abruptly, haven't you noticed? After an epic war, during some exposition on the Enaanshalc Empire." Cervantes gestured to Kana, and then the Sproutling. "She's from the remainder of that empire, along with the rest of the Nanten. The Mana Goddess sealed your world, trying to salvage what she could from the endless wars. Elleira let slip a few bits about the power of imagination, which caused me to realize what had occurred. Someone survived the Mana Goddess's purging, and freed the Nanten army to retake the only piece of Fa'diel left. The 'power of imagination' doesn't refer to the remaking of the world...it refers to the imaginary lives you lived inside the Artifacts, before you were freed to rejoin the world. Whoever broke out, remembered everything, and has been manipulating the events to serve his or her own ends."

There was only silence in the next few moments, as the teachers let his words sink in. Cervantes leaned back, the furious discussion having taken its toll on his wounds. Truthfully, he'd barely read anything of their history before arriving on Fa'diel...but how would they react to the knowledge that they had all taken part of the war between his world and theirs? Thesenis, last mage of the thousand year empire, was watching him carefully, and it made his skin crawl. She'd known all along what had happened to them, and had let her fellow's struggle on in ignorance. Had she freed Elleira, or Riven, or whoever had been first?

Had she been freed, and simply retained her memory because of her powers over reincarnation? If that was the case, why did Kana -whose necromancy should have provided the same protection- look as disturbed as everyone else? How could that explain Godhand, who had knowledge no other mortal possessed? The location of the Mana Fortress, which was more likely the angelic ship 'Janna'; another odd relic from Fa'diel's histories. Nowhere in its scripture did it mention the ship having an ability to raise the dead. Yet the miracle of the Jumi civilization's resurrection seemed to directly link the possibility with the Mana Heroes...was the ship just a ruse? To draw in the heroes, and use them to reclaim his wife from death?

And how to explain the Sproutling's bizarre announcement after its equally bizarre appearance?

-------------

_The Great Witch Anise was the first mage to go down in history. Anise bored a hole into the Mana Tree and built her laboratory there. The flow of Mana into both human and Faerie worlds was diverted. Anise constructed a jewel called the Eye of Flame using the vast amounts of Mana in her laboratory. The Firestone brought out the evil in whoever it touched.  
From the history of Fa'diel, verse 20: 'Anise'_

_Elise, who called herself Anuella, was the daughter of Anise. She had the power to bring mundane objects to life. After fleeing her mother's self-righteous rule, she settled in the northern mountains and there created a group of dolls who would obey her every command. They came to be called magical beings, and her art was promulgated by mages who idolized her.  
From the history of Fa'diel, verse 31: 'Mountain School'_

_In the years following the war, Ricrot sent soldiers to capture and kill off the surviving soldiers of Lonway's army, as well as the Faeries, which he called "the Ones with Devilish Powers." Anuella left Ricrot and locked herself into a place named "the Graveyard of Artifacts."  
From the history of Fa'diel, verse 50: 'Anuella'_

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_The Graveyard of the Artifacts_

A tiny cottage is the only landscape, an odd little house with a tiny mailbox out front.

Elleira pinned down Anuella, daughter of the great witch Anise, holding her spear unwaveringly at the woman's throat. Anuella could barely hold herself steady, bent backwards across her desk. She tried not to tremble, tried not to let her gaze fall onto the sharp silver point threatening her life, tried not to let the warrior see her fear.

"Kind of weird, don't you think?" Elleira frowned as she looked over the witch carefully. "I mean...even if she's the descendant of the greatest witch ever, you'd think she'd be older. Its been hundreds of years. She almost looks younger then me."

"It doesn't matter what you do," Anuella said. "The Goddess will not allow this atrocity to continue."

"The Goddess died with the Mana Tree." Godhand seated himself beside her on the desk, smiling condescendingly. "Its you. Your mother was the first person to create an Artifact. You know what happened to Geo...and you're going to tell us how to stop it."

Anuella shook her head as much as she dared, but Godhand took her roughly by the hair, and pushed her face against Elleira's spear, so close that the slightest breath made the blade cut into her.

"You fought against the Fairies. You know what war is like. Like the world itself is ending...now imagine for a moment, that it is. What do you think I will do to stop it? Do you think I will stop at scarring you forever?"

"I think you'll stop right there."

Elleira and Godhand turned towards the doorway of Anuella's home, where Riven stood. His hat was lopsided, covering one eye, and his clothes were torn and dirty. He was bleeding profusely, and one arm hung uselessly at one side. The other arm, however, held up his sword.

"You're still alive..." Elleira whispered.

"You sound surprised...I was gonna say something like, 'I won't die' or something, but its pretty pointless now." Riven staggered inside, using the point of his sword as a crutch. He hobbled to a chair, lopsided in the center of the room, tossed aside in Elleira and Anuella's brief struggle.

Elleira tossed her weapon aside and rushed to him, picking up the chair and helping him into it with care. He let out a heavy sigh as he settled into it. "The world's done. Its already over."

"No. No, its not done yet." Godhand lifted Anuella roughly by her hair, showing her face to him. "We've got Anuella. We can reverse the damage she's done."

Riven shook his head. "You don't get it. This is it. This...is the end. Us four, in this room, forever." He paused for a moment, then cocked his head to the side, flashing a quick grin. "Or until the Goddess let's us out."

Anuella fell to the ground as Godhand dropped her. Godhand's face might well have been made of stone, and Anuella merely stared at him dumbly. The only one to react to Riven's words was Elleira, who collapsed to her knees beside him. She slipped a hand into his lap, touching his leg gently. "I'm so sorry. I had to...I had to try. I didn't want anyone else to die...I didn't want to die. I'm so, so sorry."

Riven took her hand in his, giving her a warm squeeze. "Hey. Siblings are supposed to fight, right? Even if we're just two kids from the same orphanage, I still love you like a sister. You didn't need to hit me so hard, though!"

"You stabbed me!" She shot back, the brightness returning to her eyes for a brief second, before she saw Riven weaken, slipping in his chair.

"What are you two talking about?" Godhand demanded. "You're saying this is...death? For defying the will of that insane Mana Bitch, we're being sent to the corner for a fucking eternity!"

"That's about the size of it," Riven said lightly. "All that work...Killing the leftover Angels, killing that Moon God, seizing Janna for yourself...And what did it get you? Detention." With a roar, Godhand seized the desk, and flung it at the wall destroying it utterly, and smashing out the window. He just stood there seething, shaking with terrible rage.

Elleira tensed, but Riven squeezed her hand tightly. She looked from him to Godhand and back, but all he did was smile at her. On the floor beside Godhand, no longer even cringing, Anuella could only stare vacantly into the air.

"But...but it wasn't supposed to be like this..." she whispered to herself.

Godhand whipped around, eyes latching onto her, then turned back to Riven. Riven shrugged lightly. "Yeah, so I lied."

His former friend spit venomously, "You traitor." Godhand turned, and leapt out the window, running for the road.

Elleira started to stand, but Riven pulled her back down, pressing a tiny bag into her hand. She looked down at it uncertainly. "Riven..."

"Ah, he'll be fine. I had an interesting conversation on the way here. With a man who said he'd met the Moon Gods as they peeked into other worlds. He said he was from one of those world's...and that he'd come to watch the end." Riven grimaced, clutching his wounded arm. "But the Artifacts...they weren't what Godhand thought at all. They were given to us...not to trap us and keep us from destroying the world..."

Elleira drew open the bag with the tiny string and gasped, light enveloping her. "Riven!"

"They're our shelter from the storm."

Elleira's mouth opened again, tears sliding down her face, and she tried to reach out to the man she called her brother, but then she faded from view, and the bag fell to the ground. A small purple cube tumbled out, coming to rest beside him.

Riven bent over, hand shaking furiously as he tried to reach it. Anuella took the color block, and dropped it in his hand. He sat back in the chair heavily, and tipped his hat the rest of the way over his eyes. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Anuella said. Outside, the world grew dimmer, the light of the sun no longer reaching them. "You said we're being sheltered...if that's true, then what is that man seeing out there?"

"The end of time. The return of the Flammy. The rebirth of the Moon Gods. The world getting spanked by the Mana Goddess...I don't know," he sighed. "Listen...Sorry to intrude, but I don't exactly have the strength to let myself out...And I imagine whatever is sealing us is finally getting around to this place."

"That's all right. you saved my life...The least I can do is save yours." Anuella turned her back on him. She reached into the neck of her blouse, and pulled forward a brightly shining orb, set in a pendant her mother had given her. "Take good care of the tree out back. Your sister will be waiting for you in Domina when you wake up."

"...Where are you going?"

"I want to see one of those other worlds. I want to see if there is something brighter then this place. Something less sad, less dark."

"That man I spoke to...said there wasn't."

Anuella giggled. "Though we've just met, I had guessed you were the sort of man to ask that question. The Mana Tree is alive, and regrowing. You'll live a nice dream while inside the Artifact, and when the Tree finally breaks ground, you'll awaken."

"...Thank you."

"Goodbye, warrior."

There was silence for a while after she left, and he tipped up the edge of his hat with a finger, peering about to see whether she had left. Sure enough, the daughter of history's greatest witch was gone. "...A wonder Godhand could even raise a hand to that woman. She looked exactly like Alyse," Riven murmured, the last of his strength fleeing. He let his eyes close, and drifted off into the dream he'd been promised, as darkness overtook his new home.

-------------

_"I killed them all."_

_Riven stared at her, and she could feel something was wrong, but the smile wouldn't leave her face. The huge sword her master had given her was embedded in the ground beside her, still dripping._

_She was coated in silver liquid, the same substance that flowed in the veins of..._

_Self-consciously, she wiped at her face, only making herself messier in the process. It was smeared across her chest, arms, legs...she was even kneeling in it. She could even taste it._

_"I killed them all," she repeated, trying to provoke some reaction. He hadn't responded, only stood there looking dumb. "Its ours now. We can finally...finally stop fighting."_

_Riven took a faltering step, then collapsed to his knees in front of her. His arms closed around her shakily, and he held her to him._

_"What...what are you doing?"_

_"Stop Elleira. Just...stop."_

_He didn't seem to understand. She had to make him. She tried again. "I killed them, Riven, and its okay now. Its ours now, and everything will be okay-"_

_"Stop!" His voice cracked, and his hold on her tightened._

_Was he crying?  
Why was he crying?_

She stumbled and hit her knees, staring at the stone steps blankly. Sierra had a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. "What happened?" Elleira shook her head, not even sure whether she'd asked or been asked the question.

"They were stronger then we thought," Elleira said quietly. "Stronger then mortals. Stronger then Fairies...But I stopped them."

"What? Stopped who? Who's stronger?" Elazul demanded. Elleira looked up at him, prepared to spit out something sarcastic, when she realized she didn't recognize him. For that next brief moment of confusion, his face was both familiar and completely foreign at the same time.

"Who...?" she began, but stopped herself. "Uh...sorry. Just...daydreaming." She got back to her feet, carefully dusting herself off to avoid seeing the questioning looks. "Sorry. I'm ready now. Let's go."

"Didn't even make it down the first five stairs," Daena quipped, and the group chuckled lightly. Elleira smiled, though she didn't feel any amusement.

There was only dread.

And fear of the dark before her.


End file.
